As we are in the month of love, it seemed a good idea to talk about service. With the pressures of everyday business life it is easy to forget and yet vital for success.
Business has certainly been challenging over the last few years, but by the way some companies handle their customer service you wouldn’t think so.
Take for instance, Mont Blanc. I love my two Mont Blanc pens. I have had them almost 20 years and the other week the clip on the ballpoint finally snapped.
No problem, I thought; it is simply a matter of unscrewing the cap, taking the remains of the old clip off and replacing it with a new clip. So off I went to the pen counter at John Lewis only to be told that they would have to send the entire pen back to Germany – a process that would take at least three weeks.
Somewhat stunned I showed the assistant how easy it was and what a waste of time and money it would be to send it all the way back to Germany, but to no avail. I was furious; I couldn’t believe the madness of it all, not to mention the carbon footprint this little farce would create.
My first reaction was, this is just a ridiculous ‘John Lewis’ policy so I called the UK head office of Mont Blanc in London to be told exactly the same thing. “It’s Mont Blanc’s policy I’m afraid,” said the chap, “There’s nothing I can do about it.”
What a load of rubbish, nothing I can do about it, my foot. Think what a difference it would have made if he had said, “Sir, I agree with you. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. These clips cost £X, give me your credit card details and I’ll put one in first class post today, I can easily get a replacement from Germany.”
But no, he wasn’t thinking customer service, “How can I help?” Clearly to him his job is just a way of earning a living, not giving a service.
Service is all about your attitude and philosophy. We all make mistakes. Brown stuff happens, but the important thing is to put yourself in your customers’ shoes and act accordingly.
Yes, of course, some people are going to be unreasonable, however, most just want to be treated fairly and courteously. They want to feel cared for and valued, not ripped off and abused.
It is important to remember the true hidden message that is communicated when your company makes statements to customers, whether silent, verbal or visual.
“Thank you for calling. Your business is important to us. This call may be recorded and monitored for training purposes. For service press one, for sales press two, for accounts press three….” No, if my business is important to you I’d be talking to a human being, not a machine.
“This year, to help save the environment, we have decided to send an e-Christmas card…” No, you’ve decided to send an e-card because it saves you time and money or because you can’t be bothered to sign a real card with a real pen.
‘Click here to enter the site… WHY?!! You’re just putting another barrier between you and the customer.
Remember, it’s not about who’s right or wrong. It’s about your attitude, how you react, respond and deal with a problem. It’s about building bridges, not walls. It’s about doing more than you are paid for.
You have to give the greatest amount of service you are capable of and render it in a friendly, positive manner regardless of your immediate compensation.
If you’re not getting the right compensation for your work, take a look at your team’s mental attitude towards service in conjunction with the quality and quantity of the service you give.
If you want to develop world class service in your business just follow these steps and you’ll soon be winning customers’ hearts for life:
1. Have a clear vision of what perfect service looks like to you
2. Ask your customers what they think about your service, but remember:
– they don’t always tell the truth or know what they want, so listen well
– if they respond with “fine” or silence you know you have a problem
3. Develop a plan to consistently deliver outstanding service
4. Then, as management guru Tom Peters says, “Under promise and over deliver” EVERY time
5. And don’t sit on your laurels – aim to constantly improve your service
6. Don’t wait for things to happen – make them happen
7. Have fun giving world class service