Delivering superior service requires organisations to develop five essential capabilities in their service organisations. These are all straightforward: getting the basics right, making a personal connection, focusing resources, flexing the rules and going the extra ‘mile’.
In setting up this blog I initiated online discussion fora in the [now defunct] Ecademy and LinkedIn business networking sites under the question ‘When was the last time you experienced superior customer service?’
If you want to lay the foundation for a great customer experience it’s a good idea to start with the look and feel of your location – both physical and virtual.
Let’s consider physical location – and I’ll indulge in another of my specious comparisons by comparing British and European motorway service stations.
Two restaurant visits in the space of a week reinforced my view that it’s getting the basics right that distinguishes a superior service from a purely functional one.
Back in August we were celebrating my eldest son’s birthday and arranged a couple of meals. The first was at the acclaimed South London restaurant Chez Bruce and the second was at Locale, an Italian restaurant near the London Eye. These are two very different restaurants:
This category features stories of organisations which have provided me and other contributors with a good example of superior service. Where possible I will provide feedback to the organisation in question and, if they are willing (they should be!), I will share with you the critical success factors they have put in place to deliver superior service.
But first a warning: