Category: service

leadership dot #2163a: non-question

August 14, 2024August 13, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

It is mostly a waste of time when the manager at a restaurant goes between tables and asks diners: “How is your meal?” I’ll bet that they most frequently hear “fine” or something similar. It is a non-question — just something to say rather than a request for a real answer. It interrupts the diner’s meal and I would guess that it pays a little dividend for the restaurants.

Such a lost opportunity!

What if instead, the manager asked: “What is one thing we could do to become better?” or “If you were the manager, what is something you would change?” or even “What was the worst part of your experience today?” These types of questions would force the diners to give more substantive answers and a savvy manager could track (literally or intuitively) the frequency of responses. It would allow them to take action in a way that was meaningful.

Instead of a token public relations sweep through the restaurant, managers would be well served to use the time to truly learn something from those who know them best. Whether of your diners, employees, donors, or clients, make it a point to ask real questions, not those that elicit an automatic, generic (non-) response.

Originally published in modified form on May 18, 2018

leadership dot #2020a: spelling

August 3, 2024July 30, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

For many people, myself included, dictionaries are about the spelling and looking up how to properly do that vs learning what the meaning or root cause of the word might be. One of my very favorite apps is dictionary.com. It says a lot about how I spend my time!

Having an electronic version makes it nice that I don’t have to lug a big dictionary around with me, but what I really love is the “did you mean?” feature. When you look up words in a print version— presumably because you don’t know how to spell them, you are left with no assistance if you are off the mark. But dictionary.com will provide you with a whole list of related or possible suggestions — and presto you can insert it and be in your way.

Think about how your organization operates. Are you like the print dictionary where all the information is there and fully accessible to clients — IF they know what to ask or where to look? Or are you like the app where you provide all the same resources PLUS anticipate what your clients might really mean and give it to them in that format instead?

There is a reason the print version is yellowing on my shelf.

Originally published in modified form on December 12, 2017

leadership dot #4339: accommodations

July 16, 2024July 15, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I do a lot of customer service training and most participants think they do a good job of serving their customers. This may be true for their typical customer but they often fail to take into consideration those with differing needs.

Are you still providing great service if the customer is in a wheelchair? What if English is not their native language and the complex information you are conveying is lost in translation? Or maybe your customer is hard of hearing or has low vision — are you still able to meet their needs? Or perhaps your customer is simply technology-challenged — do you have a way to assist them in accessing their tickets or coupons?

Maybe you can rethink your service strategy from the perspective of different groups and consider what stellar service looks like for special audiences. Having great service for some doesn’t qualify as delivering great service.

leadership dot #4335: stamp

July 12, 2024July 11, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I had my second visit today from the Postal Service (see dot #4334), with the carrier telling me that her supervisor said the stamp in question was 76 worth cents and the letter cost $1.66 to mail, so I had only 96 cents of stamps and still owed 68 cents.

There are three problems with that: 1) The stamp is worth 92 cents, not 76; 2) a square envelope only costs $1.12 to mail, not $1.66, but even if they were right about those two things, 3) do the math and it would mean I owed 70 cents, not 68. I pulled up the USPS app and showed my carrier that the stamp that “wasn’t a real stamp” yesterday, that today her supervisor believes is 76 cents, is actually 92 cents (first class + an additional ounce). She took a picture of my phone showing their website and said, “They don’t teach us that.”

That I can believe. Too often, we fail to teach or inform those on the front line things that the general public knows. We forget to tell the receptionist that an outside group is meeting on-site today or that an event has been postponed or rescheduled. We don’t tell the clerks that an email went out announcing a big sale, or let the front office know that forms are due today and should be delivered to X office. It puts those in customer-facing positions in an awkward situation and makes the whole organization appear inept.

As part of your onboarding or training, it would help everyone if you included a component that has your new hires interact with the organization in ways that the consumers will. It’s great for employees to know the back of the house, but also knowing how others experience you can help your service earn a stamp of approval.

Postage due crossed off at the Post Office when I was vindicated!

leadership dot #4266: monitor

May 4, 2024May 2, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

If you’re at a donut shop right next to the airport, chances are you are waiting on a flight to arrive or depart. One Dunkin’ near the Ashville airport took this into account and provided a flight tracking board inside the store.

Their responsiveness keeps customers from fiddling with a tracking app or rushing out earlier than necessary. Flight delayed? No problem; stay and have another cup of coffee and donut.

Monitoring flight schedules is outside the realm of normal bakery operations, but it provides a measure of service and convenience that customers can appreciate. What do your customers want to know when they are with you? Think of their questions and be the one to provide the answers.

Thanks, Amy!

leadership dot #4221: so sorry

March 20, 2024March 17, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I went out to eat with friends and one order of French toast was cooked poorly. It’s hard to ruin a breakfast but a piece of the entree appeared to be just plain toast — not coated or cooked in the egg.

When the waitress came by, she asked: “Is everything ok?” We told her it wasn’t and explained the situation. “So sorry. I’ll let them know,” she said. The same conversation happened when she came by a second time. “So sorry,” she said again.

When we left, the cashier asked: “Was everything ok?” No, it wasn’t so we explained the situation again, including that the waitress did not offer to replace the meal, discount the price, or make any amends. “So sorry,” said the cashier, and rang through the meal at full price with no further action.

“So sorry” isn’t a satisfactory response to a problem. It might be an opening line but by ending it there, you fail to effectively address the issue. If asking questions about service has become so rote for you or your team that you don’t really mean them, everyone is better off if you stop asking them. A hollow “so sorry” is worse than silent indifference.

leadership dot #4214: policies

March 13, 2024March 12, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

After yesterday’s dot (#4213) a friend sent another example of where practice favors policy more than common sense, let alone service.

A couple has a block of hotel rooms at a well-known chain for the night of their wedding. Apparently, if someone wants to add a night before or after the block, the registration system requires the clerk to complete two full registrations – they take all the information you normally provide – twice!

That’s bad enough – but the worst part is they tell guests they may have to switch rooms! Now, if you’re spending extra time in town for a wedding, you don’t want to hear that you may have to switch rooms on the day of the ceremony at a time when you’d likely be getting ready to go!

When pressed about this, the clerk was hesitant but finally said the chance was small but it could happen. So — they are upsetting a lot of people, and losing customers (some have gone elsewhere) for something that probably won’t happen. Why??

“Why” is probably because the person who made the policy doesn’t have to live with it. If they are removed from the front line, it’s easy to make policies that may be technically correct but are dumb in reality.

When I applied for jobs on campus, the first thing I did was submit an inquiry and then track the dates and contacts I had from the institution. I wanted to learn what was really happening while I could without being noticed. I suggest the same for you. Find ways to be the undercover customer and see how your policies land from the other side of the desk. Registering twice and having the threat of moving rooms may change if you experience it yourself.

Thanks, Chris!

leadership dot #4213: $2 off

March 12, 2024March 8, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A restaurant just opened a franchise in town and I was thrilled. Over the weekend, we went for dinner and tried to use a $2 coupon in their app. I did not work. The clerk couldn’t figure it out, so they called the manager. They couldn’t get it to work. Now, if you were the manager of a new restaurant, wouldn’t you just credit the $2 so as a) not to irritate the customer who had it, and b) not to irritate all those in line behind her who had to wait while this whole episode played out? You would think, but of course, that is not what happened.

That $2 that they collected for this order will be the last $2 that they receive from me for quite a while when previously I was forcing myself to limit my visits to once per week.

It’s not just this restaurant that puts undue focus on rules and makes petty decisions that have negative long-term implications. It looks like credit card companies that don’t waive a late fee when the previous payment history is stellar. Employers who won’t allow a work-from-home exception. Stores that refuse to offer a refund when the receipt is one day past the return deadline. Colleagues who point out a minor mistake instead of just fixing it.

When you’re in a position to make a decision, opt for the long view. It takes much more than two dollars to recoup goodwill.

leadership dot #4209: translator

March 8, 2024March 7, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

My car is one of 2.5 million that are targeted for a recall. When I received the notice, I had no clue as to what a “low-density impeller” was or did — but my dealer’s service advisor was able to explain it to me in a way that I could understand. I’ve come to rely on my service advisor as an invaluable translator — he speaks “car” which is a foreign language to me.

I use the analogy of a service advisor in training for other customer-facing positions. In order to help me, the service advisor has to understand how the vehicle works in enough detail to explain it. They must know in depth what the mechanics do — without necessarily having the ability to do the work themselves. The service advisors are far more than just relays; they must know the questions to ask, what likely scenarios are, and how to interpret the results of the diagnostics and mechanic’s work. They have to be competent communicators in both directions: speaking with the mechanic in technical terms and speaking with the customer in empathetic but plain language.

Too many service providers see themselves as clerks — responsible for just processing transactions. But to truly provide service, those in that role need to have a solid understanding of the system in which they work. It’s not enough to merely check someone in at the dealership. True service comes from knowing enough to read a technical recall notice and then tell the customer that a low-density propeller is part of the fuel pump, and if it was his wife’s car he wouldn’t worry about her safety if she drove it until it was fixed.

leadership dot #4172: tell us

January 31, 2024January 30, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

It seems like I receive an email survey after every purchase asking me about my experience, and this doesn’t count all the customer feedback links that appear on the bottom of receipts. This week alone I’ve been inundated with subject lines such as:

Loving your latest find?
Give us the scoop on your recent purchase
Let us know what you think
Tell us how we did
Guest store survey
We want to hear about your recent purchase

I wonder a) whether people do spend the time to fill them out, b) whether anyone reads them, and c) what changes occur as a result. Is it a waste of time for everyone?

If you’re one of the many companies that frequently ask for feedback, consider whether the quantity of data is worth the time to process it. Would you be better asking only after certain parameters are met (e.g. a dollar amount, frequency/infrequency of visit, type of purchase) rather than automatically pushing out a survey after each transaction? Could you share how the feedback is being used and give examples of where it had an impact? Can you reward customers for taking their time to comment (e.g. as Panchero’s does with a free queso & chips for survey-takers) instead of just expecting people to invest their time on your behalf?

My answer to “Tell us what you think” is that surveys have become as out of control as tipping. Just because technology makes it possible doesn’t mean that frequency is your friend.