I personally don't think that the Customer Experience can be explored enough. One of the main reasons that ProSolutions re-branded in 2001 was because I could see that we were leaving important needs on the table. Companies saw us as one dimensional. In order for us to re-communicate our message of what we could do for our customers, we built new operational models that showed how we could influence all aspects of the Total Customer Experience. So often we would hear from our customers that they need us to "fix" their broken service and delivery. Ten out of ten times, based on our analysis, we would quickly determine that the broken service and delivery (customer experience) was a byproduct of the whole organization being fragmented. Meaning, in many organizations, the "whole" runs as individual department silos.
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.
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...
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