The reasons that keep some organizations from being as successful as they could be with implementing a culture of Service Excellence include: 1. The effort feels like a program rather than a process. This reflects the idea management holds that this service business is one of finding the proper set of techniques to apply to [...]

Now that the economy is improving, many employees are starting to look. Starting to look for a place of employment where they feel appreciated and important. Customer satisfaction is directly related to employee satisfaction. When employees are happy, customers are happy. Employees that enjoy their work, will find ways to engage and have fun with [...]

It’s hard to measure a smile and good eye contact. It may be superficial to measure a robotic greeting or “Thank you for shopping with us”. So, what is meaningful to measure to determine how well you are doing with your customers? One recommendation that would be a good indicator in many businesses that are [...]

Several years ago United Airlines disappointed Dave Carroll, a musician, who watched his prized Taylor guitar being rough handled on the tarmac by the baggage handlers. He approached over 17 different United Airline representatives who kept passing the buck and would not take responsibility or ownership for the damage. Being a musician, he decided to [...]

1. Trying to resolve the problem too quickly. Customers need to vent and work through their emotions before being ready to listen to how to resolve their issue. Let them talk. 2. Not considering their feelings. Customers want to feel that you care. One technique to do this is to first identify with their emotions, [...]

Someone once asked me why Walt Disney World, Ritz Carlton, and Nordstroms were so lucky in that they always got such great people working for them. My response – it’s not by luck, it’s planned and managed. A culture is made up of the people you hire; therefore, the recruitment of right fit people is [...]

Positive reinforcement is a powerful management tool to create employee loyalty. In fact, positive reinforcement is in the first four questions of the twelve that are used in Gallup surveys measuring workplace strength: 1. Do I know what is expected of me at work? 2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to [...]

This summer the island of Nantucket wants visitors to have a really memorable experience of their island hospitality. Recognizing excellent customer service is a key factor in a visitor’s experience, the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce initiated a program for employees to be rewarded for going the extra mile and performing acts of kindness that will [...]

At least 90% of today’s products are commodity products. With that in mind, the differentiator in your business today is in the “customer experience”. The experience is the result of your culture. You can’t force people on how to behave when you are not around, but a culture can inspire employees to perform well even [...]

What kind of house did the third little pig build? What did Sleeping Beauty eat that caused her to go to sleep? What did Hansel and Gretel do to make sure they could find their way home out of the woods? I bet you know the answer to these three questions.* Stories you heard at [...]