Wednesday 4 September 2013

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! 


I have spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With more than 20 years in the world financial services industry running different service, operations and lending businesses, I started my own Performance Management Consultancy to offer solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management.  I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email . My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of services.  For strategic questions that you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.

Labels: , ,

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home