More than just a buzz word, culture is the very soul of an organization. When thoroughly understood, the culture is what drives the focus on customer service. But the question remains, "How do you bring the culture to life and make it work for you, rather than against you?" The best answer is, People Management Strategies. From recruitment and selection to rewards and recognition, this is how you create a work environment that produces outstanding, consistent customer focused performance every day! Let's simplify by looking at a list of suggestions on just how to build a customer driven culture.

I'll never forget walking through a major hotel with the vice president of product development for Hyatt International, Frank C. Ansel III.  The food and beverage director of the hotel knew we were coming, so he had spruced up the place.  Everything at the hotel looked amazing to me, but twenty minutes into the walkthrough, Frank looked at his manager with obvious displeasure.  I asked Frank why he was upset.  "You think he's doing things well because you look but you don't see," Frank said.  He pulled me over to a table and pointed out that the service plates weren't all turned the same way, nor was the flatware placed consistently at each setting.  Frank nodded toward a waiter who was pouring out of the side of a pitcher instead of the spout -- a real no-no in table service.  These are subtle things, but they demonstrated a lack of standards and attention to detail.  When "little" things are off, it means more important standards are probably lacking.  That line, "you look but you don't see," has stayed with me ever since.

-Jon Taffer, Raise the Bar

A little bit in customer service can go a very long way. Trust me- nowadays customers' expectations are not very high (sad, but true), and it's so easy to turn a standard interaction into one that is memorable.  As Nelson Boswell said, "Always give people more than they expect to get."  Why?  It's simple: one wow could be worth more than $10,000 in advertising. Now the examples and tips I am about to share with you are tailored to hotels, but think of these concepts in a grander scheme and how you could generally apply similar efforts into your business.  So here are our "Little 'Wows' Can Go a Long Way" for front desk agents and sales & catering managers...

A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of himself and his contribution to praise the skills of the others.

-Norman G. Shidle

It's easy to find information on how to build a team, but how do you know once you've got one?

How many times after a service exchange do you say, "That would have felt so much better if they just would have said or done...." In many cases it would only take small changes to make a big difference. If we agree that customer satisfaction is a leading factor to the success of any business, then understanding how your business can turn a good customer experience into a great customer experience begs attention.

There are no new and/or improved methods that I am going to unveil to make all your customer service challenges go away. Instead, we are going to revisit and refocus on what we already know. Let's re-energize our efforts regarding some very basic tips on how to provide great service. 

Think about the businesses you recently walked into that made you feel welcome.  What did the employees do that made you feel welcome?  What aspects of the appearance of the business made you feel welcome?

-Renee Evenson, Customer Service Training 101

Why is the welcome mat such a ubiquitous item?  The mat itself is just functional, but the words on it are there because ultimately, we all want to feel welcomed in wherever we go.  This is especially true with a business: are you losing potential business before you even get your customers in the door, both literally and metaphorically, because they don't feel that sense of welcome?