We Are Really Sorry For You, But...

Generosity is a good service policy whenever your customers need help. If they need help twice, be generous twice. (No one loses their mobile phone twice on purpose.)

Take the Extra Step, Enjoy the Extra Business

Coffee company ‘********’ and Singapore bank ‘***’ are both very big in their markets. They are major players with many customers, huge budgets and profits (for now). But big bureaucracies can quickly become impersonal and remote. Staff can become more interested in doing things easily for themselves and pleasing their bosses, than serving their customers with a smile. Meanwhile, smaller players who want more market share, greater customer loyalty and positive word of mouth can teach their staff to be pleasant, helpful, motivated and appreciative toward those who really count – the customers.

In the Spirit of Service

To offer the spirit of service, look beyond your customer's request to identify their true concerns. What you can offer may be different, and more effective, than what they have requested. Listen for unspoken needs, not just spoken words.

Find and Do Your Own Thing

What is 'your thing'? Is it the personal note you attach to outgoing documents? Is it the enthusiastic tone in your voice on the phone? Is it your pride in teaching customers or colleagues something new? Is it as simple as the colorful clothes you wear, the magazine and newspaper articles you share with others, or your passion for indoor plants that makes the whole office come alive?

Is Consensus Sinking Your Organization?

How open are you and your organization to completely new ideas? How welcoming are you to diversity, controversy and well-intended provocation? If there are questions you cannot raise, issues you dare not discuss or items banned from your agenda, make the space and time to relook and reconsider.

Put Some Stuffing in the Staff Suggestion Box

Liven up your staff suggestion program with new criteria and prizes every month. Respond to suggestions within one week. Don't make people wait too long for a response from 'The Committee'. Be candid. If the answer is no, say so. If the answer is yes, give an implementation date. Act upon the best suggestions you receive. Nothing demonstrates your commitment more than staff suggestions recognized, rewarded and immediately put to work.

If We Implement Them All, You Have Not Succeeded

To keep your culture vibrant and evolving, you must consider ideas that are well beyond what makes sense right now. You must look ahead today, look beyond tomorrow and look 'over the horizon' for the future.

Overcoming the Nasty Pirate

Put positive emotion and a personal touch in your service recovery efforts. Customers will remember and cherish you forever.

No News is Bad News!

If you have a customer who is happy and you do not give them a chance to tell you, you lose one of the strongest opportunities to increase customer loyalty. The need to be internally consistent is a driving force in shaping future behavior. In other words, if customers...

Stretching Your Sense of Service

If you provide internal service, do you reach across functional lines, or stay stuck inside your departmental 'silo'? Is your communication with colleagues and partners positive, proactive and persistent?

1,500 Puzzle Pieces... Minus One!

When things go wrong, your best recovery effort is required. But don't just provide the missing piece (that's the recovery), also provide unique personal assistance (that is the memorable effort).

Getting (Dis)Connected

Convenience is a great value to offer your customers, especially in today's busy world. But convenience is measured by your customer's experience, not by your explanations, justifications or packing lists. The smallest missing item...

Customer Discrimination - We Do It All the Time

A Financial Times editor in London asked my opinion about systems that automatically route customers to higher or lower levels of service based on the loyalty and profitability of the customer.