Excellent customer service is hard to find any more. Companies tend to focus more on turning customers than on retaining them. We’ve talked before about how every customer experience helps you build your brand. Take a moment to think about what message your organization’s customer service is sending. What culture do you cultivate?
I’ve had a few different customer service experiences lately… some not so good and some so good they will keep me coming back. Here are just two examples:
My husband and I are in the very early stages of looking for a new vehicle. For us, this is a journey. We do a significant amount of research when buying a vehicle. We shop, not only the automobile, but the dealer and the service department as well. After doing a lot of research online, we were recently ready to go visit a couple of dealerships for the different brands and models we were considering. We went to one local dealer that happened to be the only local dealer for one of the vehicles we were considering. The lack of a customer service culture was evident as soon as we approached the lot. Just driving in was confusing. The used car lot was next to the main road and the new cars were in the back. Nothing was marked well, and the lot was sparse with vehicles.
When we finally reached the new showroom, we were ‘greeted’ sluggishly by a hostess who in turn slowly sauntered to the back to try to find someone to help us. This person in turn literally sighed his way toward us. Later we learned they don’t work on commission, which in this case provided absolutely no incentive for him to be helpful. I’m not a fan of the hard sell, but some effort would have been appreciated. The culture, or lack thereof, was palpable through each step of the way. We had pretty much decided against the vehicle just based on that experience, but the clincher was the ‘service’ department. The waiting area literally consisted of two metal chairs and a soda machine at the end of the concrete showroom.
Although the vehicle we had been researching gets excellent ratings and had been part of our short list for months, it is now completely out of the running, all because of the lack of a customer service culture.
On the other end of the pendulum, we had dinner the other night at Ocean Prime. If you have ever had the pleasure of eating here, you know that this is not just dinner, it’s an experience. And, it’s not just because it’s an upscale restaurant, because there are a lot of those in Orlando. At Ocean Prime, the customer service culture is evident from the moment you make reservations. Their job at every turn is to make your experience fabulous. If you have one near you, go there (and try the chocolate peanut butter pie!).
We commented throughout our evening about the culture. The Maitre D welcomes you with a warm smile, and assures the chosen table and even the seats at that table, are perfect for you. We thought she was a manager, she was so much a part of the experience for each table seated. The dinner club atmosphere, complete with excellent live music at the perfect level for dining, make you feel at home. Our waiter, Joey, was completely professional. Each member of the team helps the others. And thank you’s are abundant between them. We were blown away when our waiter from our first visit months ago, Gary, stopped by to welcome us back. We still don’t know if he really remembered us or if they had that information in their computer, but it was an excellent touch either way. Of course the food was amazing, but that’s not what will bring us back. It was the experience. The knowledge that we could take a few moments from our crazy busy life to spend together and to be treated like royalty.
So, we’ll be moving on to another car dealership and vehicle, and we’ll find the right one at the right time. But we’ll definitely be back to Ocean Prime because they have an amazing customer service culture. And we’ll request either Gary or Joey, because they deserve it and so do we. And now we’ve told our friends. And so on…
We’d love to hear about your experiences with customer service culture. Please respond in the comments section below!
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Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff.
Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff.
