Letter to The
Editor
By Ray Miller
(I sent this to the editor of one of our local papers awhile ago.
Thought you might find it interesting.)
Letter To The Editor
The Toronto Star
Toronto, Ontario
Isn't
it curious that, despite all the articles and commentary about the
strategic importance of service quality and the empirical evidence
which concludes that building customer loyalty through service
quality is a profitable long-term business strategy, the service
that most of us receive is average at best, and indifferent in most
cases. Proof is found in the endless stream of horror stories shared
in the press, on the internet and around the dinner table. The scary
thing is that this low level of service is typical and when there is
a problem, all too often things just get worse.
Canadian
business should be put on alert status. Swapping bad service stories
has become a national pastime. I have never met someone who, after
hearing a bad service story rushes right down to the offender to be
subjected to the same abuse. For that matter, I have never heard of
anyone rushing to deal with a business when the experience they
encounter is nothing more or less than they expected either. The
reality is that businesses have within their control the ability to
generate bad stories, good stories or no story at all. Potential
customers are significantly influenced by the stories they hear when
choosing where to spend their overtaxed dollars.
Every
time I conduct one of our service quality training programs, I am
inundated with a litany of tales of horror, and on rare occasions, a
gem which renews my faith that service quality is indeed possible.
The
good news is there are a few Canadian companies who have backed up
their strategic commitment to service quality with real action and
the delivery of extraordinary service. The bad news is that these
seem to be the exceptions to the rule. The most relevant news for
any organization in the public or private sector is that the
strategy which offers the greatest room for differentiation with
consequences such as customer loyalty and long-term profitability,
is service. Not to be confused with services (the stuff you offer to
your customers) but rather the way in which your products and
services are delivered to the customer. We call it adding value
through people.
I have never met a CEO who did not
articulate that service is important. I have never met a front line
service provider who purposely came to work to irritate customers.
Yet bad service exists. Why do we hear corporate leaders and their
advertising espousing the importance of customers and service yet we
are disappointed when we go to the check-out counter or try to call
the customer service department? The business reality is simple:
customers are becoming more sophisticated and the majority have
realistic expectations when it comes to the quality of service they
want and feel entitled to, and these customers are voting with their
wallets.
Companies
that view service quality as a front line issue are regrettably
stuck in the era of "smile training" and the happy faced - have a
nice day syndrome. It has been our experience that a service
imperative is the responsibility of everyone in an organization
regardless of his or her role. At its very core, service is a
leadership issue involving leaders at all levels of an organization
from a front line or support staff supervisor to the CEO. Poor
service is the typical outcome when leaders are unwilling or unable
to make the changes necessary to create an environment where service
quality flourishes.
As
I read your article on March 12, a number of horrific stories came
to mind. I then thought, rather than share this bad news, what small
contribution could I make to your readers who may be unknowing
offenders in the creation of bad stories. I offer below a brief
assessment questionnaire which may give leaders responsible for
service delivery some insight. I have a few recommendations for
anyone with the courage to take the test. First be brutally honest,
you're the one who will benefit. Second, ask yourself, "Are my
responses based on facts or assumptions?" If the answers are based
on assumptions, how can you find out for sure? Finally ask yourself,
"How would my customers answer questions A., C., and E.?"
Responses
of 3 and below in any of the 5 questions indicate that improvement
is critical. Responses of 4 in any of the questions indicate that
improvement is necessary to achieve an excellent service reputation.
Responses of 5 or 6 would indicate above average performance. These
assessment questions serve to allow reflection on the service
quality of your organization in a general sense and focus further
investigation into service improvement.
Sincerely;
Ray Miller
Author of That’s Customer Focus
And Managing Partner - The
Training Bank
If you would like a
pdf version of this article, please
click here and we will send you one.
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