On the 12th November The Charter for Compassion was offically launched. I encourage you to join me and thousands of people (hopefully millions) in affirming the charter and living its words. It’s just one page. Please read and affirm here.

Be remarkable
Ian
Founder Differencemakers Community
Partnering passionate people to change what’s normal for the good of people, our planet, and for profit.

Labels: compassion, Ian, self-leadership, service

My wife and I went shopping several times in the past week as you do this time of year. Sadly none of people in the stores we bought goods from provided us with a remarkable service experience. Many stores missed out on our custom because they failed to provide us with any service at all! And so because we have vast choice we simply went somewhere else.

Yesterday we spent several hours in one large DIY store. We wanted particular products only this store could provide, hence the time we spent. We were told by one so called sales assistant, whom we had to plead with to give us any kind of real assistance, that we could list all our purchases on the computer prepare a quotation and simply take that to the checkout where others would pick our order and deliver it to our home. All for a fee of course which I have no issue paying. After some persuasion from me the assistant completed our order and printed the form.

When we arrived at the checkout we were told we would have to go back as the quotation form we had was on the wrong form. I protested saying that if this problem couldn’t be fixed on the spot our order of several hundred dollars wouldn’t be proceeding. Only then did we get the kind of service we demand, desire, and feel we deserve.

How remarkable is the service experience your people are providing your customers? How many people prepared to buy your product go somewhere else because your people don’t really get it?

Start 2008 off on the proactive foot by finding out what your customers demand, desire, and feel they deserve and then employ and teach people how to deliver such value in memorable ways. Doing so will mean more customers buying more from you and probably the best year you ever had.

Be remarkable
Ian
Insightpreneur™ - insight-inspiration-ideas-innovation

Labels: Ian, service

In my last blog I wrote about receiving excellent service and witnessing superb teamwork at the Traders Hotel in Kuala Lumour. Well for every good experience I guess there is the opposite. We finished our business in Asia and returned to Australia via Perth and Sydney last Thursday. We flew into Perth at 1.30am and left again at 5.45am to fly to Sydney. Needless to say we were tired and a little jaded when we arrived at the Hotel we booked in Sydney, the Stamford Plaza at Double Bay.

We arrived about 12.30 in the afternoon well before the designated hotel check in time around the world of 2pm. When we checked in we were told in no uncertain terms by the (non) customer service person that our room was not ready and that check in was after all 2pm, so you are early. Now this was said with an "I'm sorry, but" beginning the sentence, but as an astute observer of human behaviour and having worked with thousands of people across 18 years in human resources I could tell there was absolutely no sincerity associated with the prefix "I'm sorry, BUT".

"OK,when will the room be ready?" I enquired. "I can't tell you that, was the curt response and check in time is 2pm." She went on "You will just have to go somewhere and come back after 2pm" Very helpful indeed. She did eventually offer to call my mobile when the room became ready. I'm still waiting for the call.

I won't bore you with the details of the check in fiasco and how we were greeted with two single beds rather than a King bed and how it took one hour to get the situation resolved, while we propped our eyes open with match sticks!

Suffice to say I learnt something as a result of my experience here. If you are in a front line position it's best to say what you mean and be honest and caring as well. If you say immediately, it means just that not 1 hour later. Finally I remembered that well researched Customer Management fact, a happy customer will tell 4 others, a dissatisfied customer will tell at least 12 others.

Labels: Customer Management, Lindsay, service

I am travelling and working with my wife Debby in Asia at present. We are staying at the Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur next to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Yesterday we went to breakfast and as we were being shown to our table Debby slipped and fell to the floor. She was embarrassed and a little flustered of course. The attending staff helped her to her feet and settled her in the chair. What happened next impressed and delighted me. The staff member of course asked if Debby was OK and could he assist in any way. She emphatically replied that she was OK and would just sit for a moment.This is where the team work began.

Moments later another team member arrived and asked if she could be of assistance, again Debby replied she was OK. Minutes later the Restaurant Manager, a Mr Wong arrived and enquired about her health. He offered to call a doctor if necessary or provide any other assistance. Again his offer was graciously acknowledged and refused.We sat and ate some breakfast toegther and as time wore on Debby's shoulder began to ache, it has not been the best of late with some ongoing pain present. It seemed the fall had aggravated the shoulder.

I left the table and asked Mr Wong if I could arrange for a massage for her shoulder to alleviate the pain. Minutes later, Mr Wong's boss arrived to check on Debby and informed us that a massage had been organised and it would be provided as a complimentary service for us by the hotel. The good news is that the massage had the desired affect and her shoulder is now fine, thankfully! The best news is that when we arrived for breakfast this morning most of the staff who approached our table including Mr Wong enquired about Debby's wellbeing and again offered any further assistance if necessary.

Some of you reading this may be thinking the hotel was simply fulfilling their duty of care and helping to avoid and legal ramifications, yes that may be true. Even if that were the case they still exhibited excellent team work when team work was most necessary. Each of the team members supported each other and reported the incident up the chain to resolve the issue at hand. All team members kept each other informed on progress and focussed on calmly solving the issue and creating the best outcome for the team and the customer. Not only that they have created a lasting impression as a caring and customer focussed team within a large organisation which can sometimes be a little impersonal. For anyone who has stayed in a large hotel with over 500 rooms you would understand it is easy to become lost among the relentless sea of guests that wash through such hotels.

So thank you to the staff at the Gobo Chit Chat Lounge at the Traders Hotel for making our stay pleasant under trying conditions and congratulations on your excellent team work.

Labels: Lindsay, service, Teamwork

My wife and I went out with friends last night to one of our favourite restaurants or at least it used to be one of our favourites! There is a new chef and based on last night we won't be going back. We were embarrassed as well because we had raved about this place to our friends. Consistency is a key to remarkability. Do you have systems in place that ensure consistency of what you offer and serve? If you don't I suggest you begin to develop and implement such systems straight away and therefore avoid losing customers who previously were your fans.

Be remarkable
Ian

Labels: Ian, leadership, service