Your employee did what?
On a place recently for business on one of the top airlines. I was in first class in seat 1 A when the flight attendant came around to asking meal selections. Guess what, they were already out. How can that be? They responded that this is what they received. Nothing we can do about it. Complain to the airline. That may be true but I am on a six-hour international flight. ?? Who is responsible? Who should make sure they have what they need to do their job?
Service staff needs to be responsible and empowered by management.
I was in a hotel and several times, they could not upgrade me because of occupancy rates. They apologized but offered vouchers for marketplace, vouchers for beverage, access to concierge floor, etc… You get the point it is not about the no it is about opportunity to say yes to something.
How many times have you heard it is not my fault? Complain to management?
It is not what happened but how it was handled. On a plane there are choices offer from the paid menu, find something, apologize it goes a long way.
Communication could be the problem up and down the business ladder.
What types of communication could have resolved this issue?
This piece of the pie seems to lose it customer experience satiety and feeling of great customer service.
- What do your employees do?
- Clear and concise communicative tactics-verbal and non verbal
- Have Empathy, compassion
- Speak with sincerity
- Be transparent-not shady as the younger population vernacular refers to people who aren’t authentic or genuine
- Chose their attitude read my previous recent post for more
- Make a difference in touch points-greeting, service, and follow up. Send an email, note, etc…to reinforce the message.
- Find creative ways to be customer service oriented
- Feel empowered to make a decision that would be right for the customer
- clear on how they over deliver and under promise
Service providers who are able to successfully stage experiences will greatly improve their business by attaching a memory and feeling to a customer’s experience.
I read this recently about an incident in a coffee cafe. At first it seems like a funny story and then you reread and say what. How can that be? How could it have been handled differently?
Customer training should be an ongoing part of your business as it is not only during the orientation that your employees need it. This should be reminders everyday about this.
Put in place a mystery shopper program, peer reviews from different departments, etc… To make sure you are stepping it up. Huddle meetings in your kitchen.
Customer service can cost millions of dollars in sales and trust, loyalty and reputation.
The complaint should be heard but the opportunity is wowing your guest by resolving it above and beyond the expectations of guest.
Coaching and redirecting staff will fix for future situations but it’s what you’re doing right now to win your guest back.
Passionately,
MARSHA DIAMOND 