Customer Servces
Jeff, So Whatta Ya Think?by Jeff Blackman
Question: Is customer service dead or alive?
Answer: Thankfully, in some places, service is still alive, well and thriving! As I travel, helping companies grow their people and business, I spend lots of time in hotel rooms. And, believe me, excitement is no longer generated by a vast movie selection, oatmeal soap bars or fuzzy shoe shine mitts! However, good or especially great service...stirs my juices!
Recently, I stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis. It was clean, comfortable and spacious. Pretty much what one expects from a hotel room. My stay was also uneventful. Until I called the bellstand.
At 9:45 a.m., I was promptly and cheerfully greeted by John. He assured me that within five minutes he'd be at my room with a cart to escort me and my learning materials to a meeting room. Four minutes later he arrived. John acknowledged me with a warm and friendly smile.
He also inquired about my visit. He then asked, Do you notice anything special about the 17th floor? I said, No! Why?
He then proudly told me, Mr. Blackman you spent last night on the Sports Floor! Surprised, I replied, I did?! Let me explain, John said. You see this bed sir? Was it comfortable? Roomy? Well it should be. And how about your showerhead? See how high that is? Like your bed, it's designed to accommodate a seven-footer! Now at five-foot-nine, I started to stand a little taller!
Enthusiastically, John then exclaimed, Mr. Blackman, you see Indianapolis is the home of the NBA Pacers and the NFL Colts. And to better serve their opponents, our guests, the hotel invested millions of dollars and totally redesigned 34 rooms on this floor to make life easier on the road for these gifted athletes!
Wow! Talk about a service commitment. John then told me that the Hyatt has taken a lot of new NBA and NFL business away from competitors who were not customer-focused.
Plus, can you guess which hotel the media and fans now frequent and invest dollars at?
Then, one week later, (just prior to the start of the NCAA Basketball Tournament and March Madness), I was preparing for a program in a hotel room at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, not far from Indianapolis. And as I watched the Indianapolis news, the sportscaster reported from the floor of the Hoosier Dome, the site of key tournament games.
However, he didn't wax rhapsodic about state legend, Coach Bobby Knight or projected tourney favorites. Instead, he did a three minute report on where the teams would be staying. You guessed it, the renovated Hyatt...with their extra-long beds and extra-high shower heads!
Talk about perceived value. Invaluable publicity. And a tremendous testimonial to customer focus and service. You see, when you discover an individual or a company that not only meets expectations, but exceeds them, you're willing to tell the world about them!
To help you exceed expectations, as well as devise and execute your customer service action plan, answer these nine questions:
1. If you asked your customers to list your company's strengths, what would they include?
2. Of all the strengths listed, which three would your customers list as the strongest?
3. What are your organization's weaknesses in the minds of the customers you serve?
4. Of your weaknesses, which three are most frequently mentioned by your customers?
5. What strengths do you have that those you serve don't know about?
6. What strengths do you have that your competition doesn't?
7. What assets do you have that prospects, customers and clients want?
8. What assets do you have that prospects, customers and clients need?
9. What's your mission? Or, why do you do...what you do?
-----------------
Jeff Blackman. All right reserved. For information contact Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com.
