Today I read a tweet - "British retailer issues bonds with returns paid in chocolate". My immediate thought was how can I get in on this investment? It's not just that I am a big chocolate fan and the thought of having my return on investment delivered to my door as a box of bon bons makes life seem all so blissful.
There's another reason this one liner caught my eye - it's the uniqueness; the oddity of it all. What might seem ridiculous in terms of conventional business practices, can attract an entire new customer base and draw some serious attention to your business. A little creativity can go a long way, particularly in a highly competitive environment. The same holds true for service delivery in business. Encouraging and empowering staff to develop creative solutions when handling customer concerns can enhance service recovery and incustomer satisfaction. Service Essential workshops incorporate creative solution thinking and give students the tools to handle challenging situations. More on investing in chocolate and the creativity behind it: http://www.springwise.com/retail/chocolatebond/ EntMagazine describes it well: http://entm.ag/aOY7Wp
One of the topics we cover in service professionalism workshops is the importance of effective listening. This Richard Branson article provides insight into his thoughts on listening and its role in successful business. http://www.editurl.com/gz9
Interesting discussion about how consumers are well aware when reviews on sites like TripAdvisor seem too good to be true. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?messageID=17143123&lpafill=twigs
For years we've taught in workshops that dissatisfied customers tell, on average 9 - 10 people about their poor service experiences. This was before the age of social media and before a global audience became only one tweet away.
It doesn't take long to do some serious damage to your reputation simply by having untrained service individuals on the front lines. When planning and budget time comes around, give some serious thought about an ongoing training budget. Some say they don't have the budget for training -- I believe we simply cannot afford to go without well trained service professionals in our day-to-day operations. |
AuthorImproving customer relationships, driving sales, increasing worth-of-mouth referrals and building customer loyalty through service professionalism training is my passion. Archives
June 2016
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