So we have this bunch of people talking about the need to improve customer service. And we have all them MBAs and consultants coming to provide advise. However So, once in a while I run into really good customer Service.
Recently, I found my fishmonger offering squid and fish to a japanese couple. In the interest of customer service, his wife and he know the names of fish in japanese. They also know it in malay and english. And in case you are tempted to try a different type of fish, they very much are able to suggest cooking and fish cleaning methods.
Yesterday my car battery died On me. I went out to my regular workshop to get a new one, and, Since it was a run-in run-out matter, my wife opted to Stay in the car.
The regular lady saw my wife and immediately went out to say hello. Next thing I knew, she had managed to convince my wife to come in. I've always given this lady top grades in customer services. As a loyal customer, I have earned pickup Services, where after sending my car, they would Send me back to office and collect me when the car is done. Over the years I have earned a crate of oranges, a few caps, Swiss army knives, mobile phone holders, thermal cooler bags and even kuih raya for the Eid ul Fitr celebration. Recently they have even thrown In free wifi, So doing business with them is So convenient.
So how come we have So much trouble giving good customer Services? No MBA?
Posts
Good Nite
14 years ago
4 comments:
Nice. You are right. A lot of us in the service line could definitely learn a thing or 2 from these people.
Main difference however I believe is not so much so if one has an MBA or not. The differences I believe is due to reasons such as:
1) Business owner & workers
2) Passion for the job (regardless of whether we work for others or not, if one has the passion for customer service then wham they just enjoy the job. Which in turns enabling them to go the extra mile providing that edge to CS)
3) Personal Attitude & Aptitude (Some people just have it in them. Their personality is just the right chemical for the job)
4) Company factor (Some despite of not having all the right pieces to the puzzle will still perform if they are in the righht environment, the right kind of boss, the right culture, etc)
Well, there may be more but who am I to dissect this issue. Just a 2 cent thought.
Oh ya, just remember, technology help as well. For example if our CMC or our CS counter at KT have a one touch screen to information. This can greatly help improve service provided to customer, to give that personal touch which is required. A lot of insurance company is spending millions integrating their information into one... if eveyone is doing it, is it a fad, a trend or there's a need?
Something to ponder...?
I remember those good ol days (LLN) whereby once a while they have a screen show for staff to watch on Friday afternoons..one subject was the way to answer the telephone.We can laugh at blunders made the inexperienced but that was then, now? what excuse? with all the modern technology and great speakers..is there much change?
Compliments to Roobs who I've heard myself when she speaks on the phone to her former customers..there is personality, professionalism as well as that pleasant voice...which I'm sure that's why they still call her. Does it need high education? Nah!
hmmm,... Talking about the Friday afternoon movies, one particular one sticks to my mind. It was about courtesy, and the scene shows the meter reader walk into a customer's garden, inspect the mango on the tree then proceed to read the meter. priceless!
Why can't we produce these kinds of things anymore?
On the topic of customer service, I had an interesting session this morning when I told the guys to identify their stakeholder (i.e. people impacted by our business). Someone picked out the cleaner as a stakeholder, and that truly blew me away. I've always taken the cleaner for granted, but today I was taught that what I do impacts them; it can only mean that to achieve service excellence, I need to minimize the impact of what I do on her.
Post a Comment