Lessons in exceeding expectations

OK I will admit that my last two posts may of been a bit negative, but this one is a real positive.

Two lessons for Dominica

Lesson 1 Always strive to deliver the best you can it is really appreciated. Reputation + Quality + Innovation = a lack of vulnerability. I have been dealing with a client for the first time recently and the fact that I believe we delivered superior quality product has resulted in repeat business from a key target customer within our business plan, that was an expectation, but without always thinking deliver the best we can and thinking reputation, quality and inovation it wouldn't of happened.

Lesson 2. What goes around comes around. I did a small piece of work (1 day) some time ago for one of my first clients, this client required assistance above that contracted and as it was always small requests for assistance, they went on for a long time, I never charged as the person was also a friend. They then came to us with a second job, again small requests for assistance above agreed terms and never charged for. A couple of days ago they phoned us up and offered the company a management contract over a 6 month period (in a taget sector). What goes around comes around.

Customer Service Excellence

Hats off to New Charles Pharmacy for without question replacing free of charge an item that a customer said was not dispensed as it was not in their bag when they got home. No "are you sure you didn't drop it," or "you will have to buy another one" Just a smile and "of course we will replace it, you obviously have not got something you paid for".

Its not our job and where is your stamp?

Why is it so difficult to get a complete service? I have someone who wants pay as you go electricity, we asked about it, well once I can prove ownership of the property they will sign us up. Great I thought, so I said, "You will come and install it all them" The conversation went like this.

"No sir you have to measure the distance from the meter to where you want the pay as u go key pad, then come back to us, we will then give you some cable of the correct length, you then have to get a electrician to put the cable from the meter to where you want the key pad to go, once this is done then come back to us and then we will install the key pad and install the new meter, fill out some forms, zero the account, fill out some more forms and then we will come and install it".

The same happened about the television, "Yes sir we can put in a extension in the bedroom, but you need to go to a electrical shop by three connectors and a cable splitter, as the engineers will need this". When the engineers turned up they would not put in the extension as they could not drill a hole in the wall, that was my job." Aaaaaaah!


Total service providers.....I think not.

If you are ever going to do business here your most important tool is your company rubber stamp. In the 21st Century, insurance firms, banks, governments all want you to put your rubber stamp on a document. Yes a rubber stamp, I said to a bank how does e-commerce deal with a stamp. The law does not require me to have a stamp so why does everyone demand it. Any old stamp as long as it has the company name on it.

My children are bugging me so I have found a few potatoes.. I used to make stamps out of these at school. "hey kids want to have some fun"

Where is my rum bottle

Customer Relations Training

People here always complaining about service standards. After running training here I have realised that retail do not invest in training their staff. 8% of people attending our CR training are from the retail sector. There is plenty of service providers recognising that it is important to provide service excellence, but as for retail, I talked to a retail provider who thought that 2 hours should be sufficient training for their shop floor staff. I suspect that they spend more on uniforms than they do training.

Companies also do not ask their customers what they want, they give them what they always have. Asking customers what they actively dislike about their experiences is in many cases so scary as never to be considered.

I put a challenge to retailers to try to replicate the above smiles on their customers faces.

If you can provide what the customer wants, at a fair price, when and where they want it you will always sell it.

Don't ask what your customers can do for you, but what you can do for your customers.

This is my favorite Customer Relations Video Clip. It just makes me smile, enjoy.

http://www.stservicemovie.com/

No rain for ages and the moment someone turns up the view my property it starts to rain, in Dominica its never a light drizzle. Good news is I have three interested people. All want a second look.

The weekend is here and I am going to watch the sunset and sip a rum and reflect on the week. I will laze around for the rest of the weekend reflecting on my place in the universe.

My wife then reminded me that I have to fix a curtain rod, finish the fence, update the website, do some SEO, prepare for the workshops next week, prepare to meet some clients etc. I am determined to go to the beach on Sunday.

Ummm........I rember why I came here, 3 bed apartment in Woking or same job here in Dominica......Ummmm, lets think.