Good Customer Servive – awareness gets better results

I recently had lunch with the founder of global golf chain at his favourite lunch spot in London. What we need to understand is that when it comes to customer service he is right up there as he believes (knows) that customer service is the differentiator when it comes to hospitality and entertaining your guest.

You might ask – what has this to do with playing golf? He believes golf is an experience and the golfer is a customer, expecting to have the best experience – even when they’ve had a bad round of golf!

He started the golf chain started on those principles and once established it grew faster than anyone else in the industry.

We discussed what was good customer service and soon the conversation turned to the very restaurant where we were the customer. The place was packed full of diners, some 100+ covers and yet there was an aura of serenity. We saw a customer drop a knife to the floor to be instantly picked up and replaced – it was done with no fuss.

The waiting staff were attentive and despite there being assigned tables the staff covered what may have easily been long pauses when one’s own waiter was otherwise engaged.

We also remarked on the maitre d’ who walked the floor in an unassuming fashion, welcoming and thanking the guests he knew and also those he didn’t know. There were many regulars! Not surprising really.

It was clear that the maitre d’ was the boss. However we both commented on his high degree of awareness, his gestures to staff, most merely eye movements pointing to a table. He didn’t need to tell them the issue, just point them in the direction. He was always ready to calmly step in if needed.

How do you teach awareness?  

There are so many books, online courses, and a plethora of customer service workshops that you would think everything I’ve said above would be easy.

Well it is. However bizarre though the following video is, this is what could happen …

 

Of course it was a TV show done for entertainment and aimed to be funny but it’s a great way to learn – how not to do it that is!

Alternatively you can read all the advice like this from a well known business advice group:

Brilliant advice! So that’s it off you go….

Now did you notice the error? It said 4 tips and there were only 3!

How’s that for customer service?

How to do good customer service?

The simple answer is practice, practice and more practice. But of course you have to know what to practice – what’s good, and not so good and the further point of course is what is the context? A fast food restaurant will be different to fine dining, a golf reception different from a supermarket checkout, car and house purchase – or do you think they are the same?

Customer service is a ‘doing’ thing. The more you do the better you get at it.

Of course you still have to do it right and then get better! Otherwise you’re back in the video above!

Where do you start?

That’s simple – it starts with the right attitude and that’s about being Mind Fit 

We all know what good customer service is – but knowing isn’t doing. Does your team know the difference between the customer journey and the customer’s journey? Are they closing the gaps between them?

If you want to start doing better, raising your awareness as to what you currently do is good place to start. Then you have a choice – doing the right thing or continuing to know you should be doing something else.

Do you want to have a team known for good customer service?

As ever the choice is yours – so what is it?

If you want to know how you can improve customer service, or performance of your business in general then contact us at Mind Fit at growth@mindfitltd.com