The Common Man Blog
Blog
Using Service Powers for Good
I traveled to South Carolina a few months ago to meet some buddies. As always, after I deplaned, I walked over to the Enterprise counter to pick up my car. When I got in my car, though, it was really dirty… so back to the counter I went. The Enterprise staff member told me it was going to take an hour to clean the car, and that there weren’t any other vehicles in my class left. He could sense my frustration and disappointment and quickly offered another solution. “How about I give you this full-size luxury vehicle? We’ll keep your charges the same because it isn’t your fault that the car was dirty and that there aren’t any other cars available in the class you selected. And, because we should have had that car cleaned, I’m going to give you some credits to defray the fuel costs that that luxury vehicle will incur.”
I was speechless. I asked him if he was a manager and he said he was just an employee on his shift. I begged to differ; he wasn’t just an employee, he was an empowered service professional. Without holding a managerial title, this employee had gone above and beyond to provide exceptional service—and he had done so because he had been given the flexibility and power from his superiors to assess each situation and come up with the best service solution for that situation.
This flexibility—this power—is freeing. To know that you have the support of your superiors in whatever decision you make (within reason) to accommodate the customer gives you the confidence to reach new super service standards. That’s why I always rent Enterprise, I always fly Southwest, and I continue to encourage flexibility, creativity, and autonomy in Optimal’s client service executives.
What do you think?
- Do you think premium service is directly linked to empowering those on the front lines of customer interaction?
- Do you think there are cases in which providing this power could be detrimental to the company?
- Do you have a story about someone using their service powers for good?
Post your response—and check back for a reply!
0 Comments
License to Change
A few weeks ago I went to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). Stop right here. I know what you are thinking… “David is going to tell us another bad service story and this time, I could have written his blog entry because the MVA is synonymous with bad service.” Wrong. Keep reading.
I scheduled three hours for updating my registration because that is how long it had taken me last time. I braced myself for what I referred to as “the necessary evil.” As soon as I walked into the place, I noticed something was different. As I got into the long line and started thinking about what it could be, a staff member walked up and asked me my reason for coming and redirected me to a separate area with a much shorter line. Quickly, it was my turn and the staff member behind the computer greeted me pleasantly and proceeded to take care of my registration with a few clicks on the computer. In 40 minutes, I was done. Then, it hit me; it wasn’t one thing that had changed, it was several and I wanted to talk to the person in charge. Once that person revealed herself, I thanked her and told her how noticeable the change in service was. She thanked me and listed what had changed:
- Light: They added additional lighting to improve the feel of the space.
- Improved Flow: They reconfigured their counters so that customers could be triaged to different stations for faster service.
- More Staff: They added staff members and cross-trained those staff members to decrease line length and customer (and staff) frustration.
- Upgraded Computer Systems: They upgraded their systems and converted paper to electronic storage so that more could be accomplished quicker.
- Customer Service Training: Added this as a requirement for all employees.
- Change in Attitude: This, she said, was a result of all of the changes. At their company meetings now, customer complaints had decreased and positive feedback was shared which, in turn, improved morale and staff attitudes.
I was blown away. And if MVA service standards can change, there is hope for every organization out there.
What do you think?
- Have you experienced a dramatic service transformation at an organization recently? If so, where and what changed?
- Which change do you think made the most impact on improved MVA service?
Post your response—and check back for a reply!
0 Comments
Waiting for Better Service
A few weeks ago, I had a doctor’s appointment at 9 am. At 8:55, I was in the waiting room. At 9:20, I was still in the waiting room. Then, I got called into the room where they do all the preliminary stuff before the doctor comes in. At 9:25, the nurse told me that the doctor would be right in. At 10:03, my doctor comes in and asks me how I am. I was very honest with him — not well. In an industry that is centered on patient care, how can a doctor make a patient wait over an hour to be seen? How can the policy be to charge patients when they are late or don’t show, but there are no repercussions for the patients when the doctor is late? The subtext, intended or not, is that people in the medical profession are better and that their time is worth more than anyone else’s. This is something — from a service perspective — that I cannot stand. So I told him; he was very apologetic and said that they have been having practice management problems and that his goal was to provide premium care — on time — to all his patients. Clearly, he wasn’t meeting his goal.
My story is not unique. Almost everyone you ask will have a doctor’s waiting room story. There seems to be a wide-spread service problem in the healthcare industry. And, because most folks are afraid to say anything, or because it is a hassle to change doctors, we put up with it. Healthcare professionals know this; they know that you are coming to them for answers, from a place of vulnerability, and, thus, their mismanagement and poor service is justified. It shouldn’t be. We shouldn’t wait around for better service; we should seek out practitioners that provide a better service experience. Only then will industry-wide changes begin to take place.
What do you think?
- Have you experienced bad—or good—service at a healthcare facility recently?
- If bad, what did you do about it? If nothing, why? If something, what actions did you take?
- Do you think better service protocols in the healthcare industry will be instituted? If so, how?
Post your response—and check back for a reply!
0 Comments
Check Service Before Purchase
I like gadgets. And I’m surrounded by people who like gadgets. So, we are always talking about features of this phone, benefits of this tablet, etc. But one thing that always surprises me – whether I’m engaged in a conversation with a tech-savvy client or a more tech-naïve friend – is the fact that gadget consumers rarely take service into account before making a purchase. It is all about the cool, the fast, the product. I would argue, however, that the product is only as good as the product’s support. After all, how cool is that new tablet if it crashes and you can’t get in touch with a human being to fix it?
That’s why before I buy any gadget, in addition to researching the product and reading many user forums, I always check the product reviews on CNET. Their reviews are thorough, and I pay special attention to their editor and user picks. When reading the reviews, pay attention to the support experience. It won’t take you long to discover the correlation between a highly-rated (and recommended) product and an easy, customer-friendly support process. Check the service and support policies and procedures before you make your next purchase — and let me know how it goes.
What do you think?
- Does a really great product make up for a bad support process or customer service?
- Can a great support experience make up for a mediocre product?
- Do the best products/services often come with the best warranties, guarantees, and support processes?
Post your response—and check back for a reply!
0 Comments
Service is a Contact Sport
I was talking to a client and she was lamenting the fact that she had yet to find a great sushi place. As you may or may not know, I’m kind of a foodie; my girlfriend and I love to try different restaurants. I gave her the name of my favorite sushi place, and then called and made her a reservation. It was something I would do for a co-worker, friend, or family member, but this just happened to be a client. And the client was thrilled. She loved the sushi and appreciated the gesture, and is now going out of her way to recommend Optimal. A great tuna roll led to a great referral source and it made me think: What about this situation was special?
The answer? A culture of service. Everybody at Optimal likes people — and everyone involved in the client experience is committed to learning about our clients. And not just from a business perspective. We want to know if they have kids, what kind of food they like, what sports they like to watch, etc. And then we act on this information. Not to create referral sources (although that is often a bonus benefit) and not to talk business, but because we enjoy client contact and getting to know about people. It is part of Optimal’s culture — and it is what makes us different. Providing superior service is a contact sport – and not for the faint of heart. It requires interpersonal aptitude, training, dedication, and commitment. It’s also fun to watch when it is done well.
What do you think?
-
Does providing great service require an interpersonal relationship?
-
Have you had an excellent service experience because an organization got to know you?
-
Do you think superior service can be provided if the organization does not know anything about you? Can you share an example?
Post your response--and check back for a reply!
1 Comments
More Articles...
Page 1 of 13
