We have all heard a great deal about the importance of displaying behaviors and using effective phrases that promote customer loyalty. Likewise, we’ve heard plenty about how we must take those “Extra Steps” to exceed customer expectations. No matter how often you’ve heard it, it always warrants reinforcement, as today, every business is in a race for growth with no finish line in sight. If you want to promote a positive image, develop a good reputation, and establish customer loyalty, service excellence must be demonstrated on a daily basis. And, you must exceed customer expectations in your sanitary and supply business wherever there may be an opportunity to do so.
A few weeks ago while at a conference in Las Vegas, I had an experience where an organization displayed FIVE examples of service excellence and exceeded my expectations. As you read you will learn lessons you can apply in your sanitary and supply industry organization.
As I hurriedly unpacked my suitcase to get showered and dressed for an important presentation, I realized I might have a problem. I discovered that in my sleepy-eyed rush to leave in enough time to get through security at O’Hare Airport and catch the 6:00 a.m. flight to Vegas, I had forgotten to pack my curling iron.
While this may not seem too serious to you, (especially if you’re a man) it was VERY SERIOUS for me. No woman wants a “bad-hair day,” especially one who is about to deliver a conference presentation on “How to Win New Customers and Establish Customer Loyalty!” to three hundred people. Bad hair doesn’t make a positive first impression nor does it make for a professional appearance, no matter what you do for a living. These are two basic principles of service excellence.
Easy solution! Go to any one of the three sundry shops in the hotel and buy one. I attempted to accomplish this simplistic task, but none of the shops stocked curling irons. Surprisingly, one clerk actually stated, “People are always asking for curling irons. I guess we should carry them.” I wanted to reply, “HELLO! A rule of customer service is “HAVE WHAT THE CUSTOMER WANTS,” but I was on my curling iron mission and left without a word.
As I was walking out to see what else I could do to solve my problem, I recalled a Saturday afternoon last summer when I attempted to purchase a chocolate cream pie at that famous pie house. (I won’t mention the name.) I had been on my way to a large family function at my sister Camille’s home. She specifically said, “Make sure you bring a CHOCOLATE cream pie!”
After waiting in a long line, the order taker at the famous pie house told me, “Sorry. We always run out of chocolate pies by 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays.” I wanted to ask, “Did it ever occur to your manager to MAKE MORE CHOCOLATE PIES ON SATURDAYS! WHY DON’T YOU make sure you pay attention to what the CUSTOMER WANTS!” Instead, disgruntled, I handed him $7.50 PLUS TAX for a lemon pie my sister did not want.
Camille wasn’t too happy with me that day. I was not only late because I had to wait so long in the line at the pie place, but I brought the WRONG PIE. Why didn’t they have two people servicing customers?
Interestingly, I don’t buy from that famous pie house any more. Why? Well, although the pies are delicious, their missing what should have been obvious just rubbed me the WRONG WAY. I couldn’t help but wonder how many other people who asked for a chocolate pie after 2:00 p. m. ended up having to buy a different pie and disappointed someone special to them?
Next, I tried the hotel’s beauty shop. It was closed! Time was running short and I knew I had to get creative. I saw the sign that said “Canyon Ranch Spa!” Ah ha! Spas always have curling irons in their dressing rooms! As I approached the busy service desk in the SPOTLESSLY CLEAN spa (the first example of service excellence) to ask for the manager, I was enthusiastically greeted with a smile by a staff member. “Good Morning, how can we help you?” (This was a second example of service excellence.) I explained my situation and she said, “I believe we can help you out, but I’ll have to check with our manager.” I asked her if I could meet him and ask him myself. She said, “No problem. I’m sure he’ll be happy to meet you.” (Ah ha! Yet a third example of service excellence.)
Out came manager Garry Abbs, a most professional looking man, who also greeted me with a huge smile, a hand-shake (Number Four example: Make the customer feel IMPORTANT) and a question: “Good morning! How can I help you?” (That was Number Five.)
“Do you by any chance happen to have a curling iron? I’m desperate and I’ll buy one from you if you’ll sell one to me.” What he didn’t know was that I was ready to apply the skills I teach in my “Art of Influencing People” seminar, and was even prepared to beg, if needed. “We do have a curling iron but you can’t buy it from us,” he said. I was ready to plead with him when I observed his smile. He continued, “You may use it with our compliments and return it when you’re done.” “But I would need to use it for a full two days because I’m here to speak at a conference and I won’t have time to run out and buy one.” “No problem, (The Fifth Example–the words, “no problem–again!”), he said, as he came out from behind the desk to hand it to me. “Just be sure to return it to us before you check out.” POW! He not only helped me, and solved my problem, but he EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS!) I thanked him profusely. He then asked me about my work and wished me good luck with my presentation. “What a class act from a class guy,” I thought.
Was I impressed? You bet. Did I tell lots of people about this? Of course! I not only used this as an example of service excellence in my presentation to the conference attendees, but when I checked out of the hotel, I remarked about the exceptional service I received from the Canyon Ranch spa manager and his staff. I even told the conference manager who books over 500 rooms each year with that hotel about the exceptional service I had received and the graciousness of the spa manager. And now, I’m sharing it with YOU
Below are the lessons to be learned from this real-world experience that you can apply to your business.
- Have what the customer wants.
- Customers can be impatient, and time is at a premium. Do not make them wait in long lines, or they may not come back. If circumstances are such that you are short-staffed, greet them with, “I’m sorry for the long wait today. We’re short staffed today. How can I help you?”
- Do not rub customers the wrong way by not paying attention to the obvious.
- Make sure your facility is SPOTLESSLY clean. You sell and offer cleaning products.
- Make a professional appearance and greet customers with a smile and in an upbeat manner. Use phrases like, “How are you?” “How can I help you?” “I’ll be happy to…” and “No problem!” Never sound “flat” when greeting customers, especially if you handle incoming calls. You may be the first contact the customer has. A voice that sounds FLAT can be a big turn-off to the person on the other end of the phone. Competition in your industry is fierce. You want to sound ready, willing, and anxious to serve customers.
- If it is within your means, always help the customer–even there’s no tangible benefit to you. Your rewards will come later.
- Remember–customers TALK. Make sure what they have to say about you and your company is positive and not negative, or they’ll talk even more.
- Develop an OBSESSION for putting your best foot forward and taking that extra step whenever possible with every customer encounter, every day.
- Last, if you are a woman who has unmanageable hair, pack your curling iron!
About Christine Corelli
