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Greg
Smith's
Navigator Newsletter 90# |
PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE CAPTAIN
I am writing to you while sitting at the airport in the island nation of St.
Lucia. I have just completed a series of speaking events throughout the
Caribbean, which included Montego Bay and Kingston, Jamaica and the islands
of Antiqua and St. Lucia. Some of you are probably thinking, “This can’t be
hard work!?” Well, I did see some beautiful places and stayed at a couple of
nice resorts, but I did work hard. Trust me.
Through the assistance of the Jamaican Chamber of Commerce and USAID, I have
been asked by many of these islands to teach business owners about becoming
“High Performing Workplaces.” Not only do the islands face competition from
each other, but face global completion as well. Economic development in the
Caribbean region depends on becoming as competitive and productive as
possible. Many of them are adopting the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Award strategy as their nation’s business model. It is a great honor to be
asked to assist them.
Ritz Carlton Customer Service Model
Customer Service is Not a Four Letter Word
What word pops into your mind about a recent customer service experience?
Was it good, or was it bad? Customer service in this country seems to be
headed in the same direction as the Titanic. Why? One reason is most
Americans feel customer service jobs are beneath them and of little
importance. Secondly, many organizations have eliminated the human element,
replacing it with a lower-cost, impersonal bastardization of voice mail,
email, and online request forms. For many shortsighted service companies, it
is about cutting costs, cutting corners, and driving up profits.
The Ritz-Carlton hotels makes customer service an art form. Unlike other
places, they know If you treat your customers well and make a special effort
to please them—guess what? They come back, tell their friends, and maintain
a long lasting relationship of loyalty.
My wife and I recently stayed at the Reynolds Plantation Ritz-Carlton at
Lake Oconee, Georgia. Upon checking in, we dropped off our bags and took a
seat in the lobby to enjoy the view of the lake. A few minutes later a
service person named Susan introduced herself, beginning a friendly
conversation. She asked us why we were staying at the hotel. I said, “We are
here for our wedding anniversary.” With a very big smile she told us,
“Congratulations. Let me go get you some champagne.” Wow! This was the first
of two episodes at this hotel that would capture my loyalty as a guest of
Ritz-Carlton.
Later that evening a knock at the door caught us by surprise. Greeting us
again was Susan. This time she surprised us with a luscious piece of cake
carefully presented on a plate. In icing was this inscription, “Happy
Anniversary.” Wow!
It was not a stroke of luck we stumbled across Susan. She, as well as other
Ritz Carlton employees, are carefully selected and thoroughly trained on how
to identify guest’s unspoken requests. They follow a process called the
“Three Steps of Service.”
Step 1 - Warm welcome
Step 2 – Anticipation and compliance
Step 3 – Fond farewell
It is during Step 2 where staff members seek out and discover guest’s needs
or wishes. Then they present it in a way to create a “moment of truth.” In
our case, it was the champagne and the anniversary cake.
Now, let me make an important point to the critics. I know many of you are
saying, “I expect to be treated well at fine hotels—it is what I pay for.”
Let’s consider this. The same principles and standards of behavior
demonstrated at the Ritz-Carlton can also be applied at your local car
dealership, bank, or any business, can’t they?
A Gallup survey found over a one month period a customer “emotionally
connected” to the organization spent 46% more money than a customer that was
satisfied, but not emotionally bonded with the company.
Just imagine going to your car repair shop with your car. Within sixty
minutes they fix it right the first time, and deliver it to your door
cleaner than when you dropped it off. How many people would you tell about
it? Surely, the proprietor of the car repair shop would see exponential
growth. The additional profits and the revenue would outweigh the added time
and expense spent exceeding customers expectations.
In today's competitive economy, all businesses have to make a choice, to
either become exceptional, or just remain the same--average. It goes without
saying; it is easier and less expensive to be average. However, examples
abound of both large and small businesses exterminated by the competition
because they refused or were unable to change.
To help keep your service businesses competitive, consider the following
four steps of exceptional customer service.
Step 1 -
Select the right people. Successful businesses realize the
front-line customer service person is critical to the success of the
business. So they spend more time recruiting and hiring the right people.
Step 2 - Set performance standards. Design and develop how employees are
supposed to act and respond to customer needs and requests.
Step 3 - Sustain on-going training and reinforcement. Good customer service
skills do not come naturally. Successful businesses reinforce and train
their staff continuously.
Step 4 - Specify consequences for behaviors. You must hold people
accountable. Reward those who exceed the standards and develop those who do
not.
Here are some resources to help you improve your level of customer service
Tools to hire and develop people into exceptional customer service ambassadors
Customer service training videos for front-line personnel
Complete organizational customer service training programs for front-line
and managers.
Reinvent Your Time Management Skills
Techniques for Reaching Higher Levels of Productivity Using Microsoft
Outlook
A
program by Time For Results, a division of Karla Brandau & Associates
3-1/2 hour Time & Technology seminar scheduled for September 27 from 8:30
a.m. to 12:00 NOON EDT
DESCRIPTION OF COURSE: To thrive in
today’s world, good time management skills are not enough. You need
exceptional time management skills that help you sort the deluge of email
while keeping up with projects, daily tasks and calendar appointments.
This program puts time management skills
within the reach of every individual regardless of previous time
management snafus. Using features in Microsoft Outlook, the instruction
teaches you the disciplined process of work flow as tasks come into your
computer from your manager, mind or email. It dramatically improves the
productivity of your entire organization.
Investment: $225.00 – includes a 100 page reference manual
Phone: 770-923-0883
