Getting Great Service
I
read and hear plenty of comments on how to provide
great service. But what about how to obtain great service?
By this time, most of you will be thinking
I’ve finally gone off my head – too many late nights or something like that. Shame, he was such a nice guy before he went
mad…
Great service takes two. It’s reasonable to expect the staff serving
you to be:
·
Knowledgeable;
·
Courteous;
·
“Professional” (e.g. not to
deceive or lie, keep promises, etc).
Equally, what can you do to make sure that you encourage people to provide great
service?
1.
Smile: OK, I know this sounds simple,
but a smile lightens the mood (particularly if the staff in question has just
finished dealing with a “difficult” customer).
A smile shows you’re welcoming and pleasant to deal with. Ask yourself, if you had to serve a smiling
person or a frowning person, whom would you rather serve first?
2.
Greet them: again, so simple. A pleasant “Good Morning/Afternoon” puts
things on the right footing. I remember
checking in for a flight on Flybe and, having said “Good Morning” to the check-in
staff being met with “Where are you going?” No “Good Morning!” in return, no
smile, just an abrupt dive straight into business. How do you think that made me feel?
3.
State your business: calmly, clearly and
briefly. Never assume anyone will
understand you completely the first time round.
4.
Be prepared to clarify: especially if
they need more information or haven’t understood completely the first time
round – it happens (particularly if you’re upset).
5.
Stay positive: a positive attitude is
infectious and reduces the chances of upsetting others. People want
to be around people like this. Don’t
overdo it and become too cheerful, though; just remain pleasant, polite and (if
necessary) persistent. Some cultures
consider it offensive if you show anger (whatever the reason) and you will
suddenly find all cooperation disappears.
If you have a complaint, your natural instinct
is to be more assertive (if not aggressive) as you have been “wronged”. Just remember, your attitude needs to be one
of “win/win”. Both sides should come out
well of any encounter. Both you and the
organisation you’re dealing with usually want your problem resolved quickly and
without financial loss. Acting like an
enraged tiger is no way to get cooperation and may actually harm your case
depending on how far it goes. This is
exactly where the guidelines above come into play. Make sure that you have your facts right and
that you haven’t done anything that might have either caused or contributed to
the problem.
Even if you feel that people are taking
advantage of your good nature, or even refusing to recognise the seriousness of
the problem, remain calm (difficult though it is) and persist. If necessary, ask to see the person’s
supervisor. If that doesn’t work (or
they refuse) then ask for a copy of the organisation’s Complaints Procedure
which (by UK law anyway) has to be available for all customers to inspect. Follow the steps laid out there. If you still don’t receive satisfaction, you
may be able to complain to the industry ombudsman or regulator, whose decision
will be final.
Remember: follow the above steps, whatever
the situation. It gives you personal
satisfaction as well as the moral, high ground which will always count in your
favour. And who knows, you may end up
making a useful ally!
Labels: Customer Care, Productivity, Social
posted by William Martin @ 17:17
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