Musings

Just a couple of thoughts for you...

• Why is it that when you phone a twenty something in a call centre virtually every question they answer is prefaced with "basically" and "obviously"? I asked a question- it was neither basic nor obvious to me.
• When I take my car in for a service the entire row of people who check in cars (about 5 of them) ALWAYS say "What WAS your name?" instead of what IS your name. Its hasnt changed since I walked into the garage.
• Why do hotels bang on about great service, but never take the time or effort to find out if you would like to be called Sir, Mr whoever, or even your first name. The default setting is usually Sir .. and I dont want to be called sir.
• Would it be possible for certain companies to look at how their advertisements represent their staff - smiling, helpful, cheery, proactive and always able to cope - compare them with the vast majority of their real staff - sullen, unhelpful, unhappy, hiding to avoid customers and desperately not wanting to be there - and either re-make their ads, or really crack this customer service thing?
• Why do managers in supermarkets stand around in groups of seven, all pretending to work, their hourly paid staff working flat out, when in fact even a cursory glance shows they are just having a gas?

I just wonder, you understand. No need, if you or your business is represented above, to do anything about it...

Big Weekend

This last weekend a group of us went to preseliventure.co.uk. Incredible place in the middle of Pembrokeshire where you go surfing, coasteering and kayaking. Loads of fun and really energising, even though we all came back exhausted and aching!

What REALLY amazed a lot of us though was the quality of the staff there. The lodge where you stay is really basic - just like staying at a friends house ... its all bunk beds and queues for the toilets, but they have managed to create a really friendly feel for all of their guests.

I was talking to Lorraine there (she seems to be the front of house manager who makes sure everyone knows what they are doing and where they are supposed to be) and she said that it really didnt seem like work to them. But actually what they do is really powerful. You see in the last seven years I have had the good fortune to stay in hundreds of hotels all across the UK and Europe - many of them very nice hotels that are well known chain hotels. And yet very few of the places I have stayed have managed to offer the genuinely warm welcome that preseli creates. I'll give you an example or two ...

We arrived early and Lorraine introduced herself and asked for our names. From then on throughout the weekend she used our names - as well as the names of all the thirty guests who were there that weekend.

We came in from one of the events for our lunch. "ah yes, this is the soup, and this is the vegetarian one for you, Lisa and Rob". That detail was something we had put on a form months previously and not mentioned once at the lodge.

When kayaking and surfing with experts (which is plainly what the instructors are) they managed to strike a balance between motivating us to go further and to push ourselves, whilst still appearing very calm and relaxed, and looking after fourteen or fifteen people from a safety perspective.

How is it that a relatively small, independent business like this manages apparently effortlessly to create the experience that many international chains so conspicuously fail to achieve? My belief is that in fact the experience ISNT effortless .. it requires constant work and attention.

Its an interesting thought - when did you last experience customer service that was excellent? Not good, or even really good, but customer service that got you talking, and really impressed? And when you experience it, what can you take and learn from it that you can apply to your own business, or day to day work?

But only think about that if you really are passionate about creating Excellent Customer or Client care of course .. otherwise leave it as is!

Meanwhile, if you fancy an amazing Leadership development programme which includes the activities I mentioned above, let us know .. we have a great programme lined up for you!

Graham