Brenda Eckstein International

Strategy, Leadership, Integral Coaching and Communication consulting

People places

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I am often asked: ‘How can we encourage our staff-members to talk to each other?’  Another question is: how do we break away from excessive reliance on electronic connection and encourage our management and staff to build personal relationships?   A young guy was telling me that when staff in his organisation ‘go on breaks’ they go to the allocated room and interact with their phones, not with each other.  There is no conversation. 

Some ideas that I have seen used in trying to encourage building relationships:

  • An organisation I was involved in KwaZulu-Natal set a mantra, ‘pick up the phone’.  In other words, they want people to talk to each other face to face, and if that is not possible, to phone each other. 
  • The director of a law firm suggested asking staff to ‘walk down the passage’ rather than be isolated in their offices. The abruptness of some e-mails was destroying relationships.
  • A famous hotel group thought that they’d create awareness of reliance on e-mails by not allowing staff to send e-mails to each other on a Friday.  Of course, they could respond to guests e-mails and do necessary external business.  That didn’t seem to work. 
  • Some firms in the USA are re-introducing the coffee-urn in the passage, hoping the people will congregate there.

So, how do we get people to ‘congregate’?  I believe that we need to work on the culture of the organisation. Recently I saw an outstanding example.   Imagine how wonderful it must be to work in a place where you can occasionally take your dog to work and where she’ll be appreciated.  Here I met Harriet.

Cotton On Group, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Imagine working for a firm where 800 people are on-site and where bowls of fruit are available for staff at strategic positions.  You could practise in a gym with one of 8 instructors.  An air of wellness abounds. There is an opportunity to make an appointment with the visiting naturopath, osteopath or other person who will help staff to live a better life. 

Wellness is a priority at the Cotton On Group.

Wherever I went at the Cotton On Group in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, I noticed areas that were conducive to getting people together – either to work, to share ideas or to reflect.  Some of these areas were wooden tables.  Others were brightly coloured.  There was even an area with beanbags.  Staff appreciate the benefits of a reading area with all the latest magazines and newspapers.

Staff have the opportunity to read, reflect and be inspired.

That would be my workplace of choice.  And then add to that an atmosphere of busy-ness.  Everyone is deeply engrossed in their work, yet they have time to laugh, smile and make playful comments.  When I mentioned that my husband would have loved this visit and can no longer travel, my hosts immediately said:  ‘Let’s make a video saying ‘hello, Edgar’ and they did exactly that – not only once, but twice!  

So the ‘connections’ were not only internal but they extended sincerely outwards as well.  This is sadly rare in the modern workplace.  In addition to all the ideas mentioned above (and many, many more), they have a monthly barbecue with meaningful awards.  One of their values is ‘family’ and their behaviours reflect that they are living the value. 

My message is:  working on the superficial elements of getting people to connect may work.  But by having a culture where people are truly valued and they know they are appreciated will encourage people to reach potential and to connect with each other. 

My question is:  how can you make yours the ‘workplace of choice’? 

For more information on Communication Skills training, Leadership Development or Executive Coaching please contact  Brenda on brenda@146.66.90.172 or +27 82 4993311.

Service Excellence and Innovation

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Providing top quality service means exceeding your customers’ expectations in subtle ways. Let me give you an example:  I love being at the Oyster Box Hotel, Umhlanga and while staying there spend many happy hours in the Clock Library.  On a recent visit ‘Shack Chic’ (Craig Fraser) was on the table and attracted my attention.

I was conscious that I was in a magnificent five-star setting yet intrigued by how those living in South African shacks can enhance their surroundings.  The cover shows a beautiful, smiling woman who is obviously proud of her home.  Just look at the wall-paper on the floors and ceiling – sheets of labels from Koo tins! And the floor has the typical patterned linoleum.  The appealing cover encouraged me to explore further. 

‘The triumph of artistic tenacity over adversity is brought to life in Craig Fraser’s vibrant images which capture the style and innovation of Cape Town’s shack dwellers.’  Referring to those whose home he visited:  ‘…the dignity to be found in the dusty streets of South Africa’s shack-lands.  While these people obviously don’t take pleasure in the poverty they live in, they stand proud in the face of it.  These are the people who are doing the best they can with the little they have and, in the process, coming up with something aesthetically unique and fresh to offer the world.’ 

Innovation is important in every aspect of our business lives and in our personal lives, too. This book is a gem and inspired me to think ‘outside the box’. In addition, the way it is set out and written is creative, appealing and appropriate to the topic. The quotes are beautiful and can be used as metaphors for life.

 

 

I kept going back to the library at the Oyster Box Hotel to explore the book further. Towards the end of our stay I was having coffee with the Assistant General Manager, Tyler Liebenberg and our conversation drifted towards the books which the hotel sources for the library, guests to read at the pool and those for the rooms.  I mentioned how much I appreciated their choice of books and as an example mentioned ‘Shack Chic’.  We carried on chatting and she quietly excused herself, spoke to a staff member and immediately came back to me. 

As we finished our conversation, she said:  ‘When you get back to your room, you’ll see ‘Shack Chic’ on top of your luggage (we were about to check out) and that is a gift for you.’  I was astonished, delighted and grateful.  I treasure that book for inspiration and also as a reminder to anticipate the needs of those whom I serve. 

From the above anecdote, my questions for you are:

  1. How are you innovating in your business and private lives?
  2. ‘Shack Chic’ shows that even people who are living in shacks can beautify their homes and be proud of their internal surroundings.  How can you creatively change your surroundings so that you are even more proud of them?  
  3. What are you doing to make sure your house is a home? 
  4. In which ways are you incorporating feelings or warmth and caring into your business environment?
  5. How can you apply the metaphors from ‘Shack Chic’ to your own life?
  6. What are you consciously doing so that you exceed your guests’, clients’ or customers’ expectations?
  7. In which ways can you serve your family better?

For information on Customer Service training or for Executive Coaching please contact Brenda on brenda@146.66.90.172 or +27 82 4993311.

150: Service Excellence at the Oyster Box Hotel

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When your business has incredibly high levels of service excellence, how do you consistently sustain your standards?  Of course, leading by example, having the right tools and resources and effective training play a huge part in this.  In addition, how do you continue to add value, to exceed expectations?  And once people are all focused on effective outcomes, how do you connect with the hearts of your clients, customers or guests?  It is the "people factor" that I am emphasizing in this article.   

Let's set the scene and put the "people factor" in context.  The Oyster Box Hotel, Umhlanga Rocks, KwaZulu-Natal is an outstanding example of service excellence.  Let me give you an example: for a special wedding anniversary this week we decided to spend three nights at our favourite hotel which definitely has a soul.  I work for hours in the Clock Library – and in those beautiful surrounding, it certainly doesn’t feel like ‘work’.  I enjoy a movie in their quaint cinema with popcorn and sweets ‘on tap’.  We were allocated our favourite sea-facing room which provides one of the most magical views imaginable.

The view from our window.

And of course, we had delicious meals, too.  My favourite meal in the whole world is the breakfast served on the Terrace.  Guests can ‘mix and match’ food to their heart’s content.  Sometimes we are delighted to hear the gong ringing and when that happens everyone rushes outside to watch the dolphins in the surf.  But here again, it is the warm and sincere hospitality imbued in every staff-member that makes this the ultimate in enjoyable experiences.  The "people factor" make everything else possible.

I’d like to talk more about this concept of going beyond just making guests believe that they have made the right choice from a cognitive perspective.  The people in the organisation add the warmth, the extra touches that bring the experience to life.  And at the Oyster Box Hotel, Wayne Coetzer, the General Manager, one of the most characterful people I’m privileged to know, spreads his warmth and caring to the staff, guests and all those with whom he interacts.  In fact, he is so ‘nice’ that I often forget his competence and ability to run this magnificent, many-faceted hotel. Of course he is ably supported by his deputy, Tyler Liebenberg, executive chef Kevin Joseph, personal assistant Barbie Hamilton and a team of dedicated managers and staff.  But he is the one who has the uncanny ability to connect people with people, people with information and people with opportunities.  Wayne, I salute you as one of the greatest networkers I’ve ever been privileged to meet.  

Part of his networking this trip involved introducing me to the iconic ‘Mrs Tollman’ who happened to be staying at the Oyster Box Hotel.  She and her husband, Stanley lead the Red Carnation Group internationally.  What a privilege it was to meet her!  I can sense how her warmth, caring and competence have a ripple effect, impacting on every aspect of their business enterprise.  So here you see a very strong ‘heart’ connection.  And, Mrs. Tollman you have captured my heart, too!  (How I’d like to be more involved in your businesses!) 

Let’s go back to Wayne:  Another way in which he more than ‘went the extra mile’ was in organising number plates for Ed’s ‘Sportscar’. (This was the topic of a previous blog post).  Innovators have the ability to firstly recognise (cognitive) and then optimise (action) opportunities.  And Wayne is a master at finding creative, appropriate solutions.  You should just see the number plates!  We absolutely love them (heart)!  So the outcome is effective because head and heart are aligned and this provides the energy for appropriate action!  It wasn’t just a case of ‘here are some number plates’ and we would truly have been impressed and grateful at that point.  But part of the process involved the great kindness and consideration with which Jonathan Olsen, Maintenance Engineer orchestrated the fitting of the number plates to ‘Sportscar’.  Thank you, Jonathan! 

Jonathan Olsen, Maintenance Engineer, Ed and ‘Sportscar’.

Please look carefully at the wording of the number plates.  These have been great for starting conversations both while Ed proudly tootled around the Oyster Box Hotel and also when he is out in one of the many shopping malls he frequents.  So that is generating further action and connection, too. 

So, there is a huge ripple effect spreading outward from the essence of a true spirit of service, whether it be from the customer service strategy in place, the effectiveness of the leadership or the passion for the quality of service that everyone involved in the Oyster Box Hotel seem to possess.   

Readers, in aiming at service excellence, observe how cognitively your internal and external customers are viewing your service and products.  But we also need the ‘heart’ connection and you and your teams are the ones who should build those relationships.  Capture the hearts of your staff, clients, customers, guests, patients, members and the impact and ripple effect will be huge if you ‘take action’ in an appropriate and timely manner.  

For more information on Sustainable Customer Service Strategy, Customer Service training or Executive Coaching, please contact  Brenda on brenda@146.66.90.172 or +27 82 4993311.

147: A grain of rice

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I am proud to be one of the contributing authors whose articles are included in Rob Salisbury’s new e-book, ‘Motivating your Mind….Inspiring your Spirit’.  Rob, Director of Strategic Resources International (Singapore and Sydney) and Monika Newman, 2014 e-book Project Manager harnessed the power of diverse input and created a harmonious whole.  Congratulations Rob and Monika! 

With over 90 contributors and 100 stories in total, you’ll find something of value in the inspiring articles in this international e-book.  You can download a complimentary copy here http://bit.ly/SRI2014_e-book by clicking on the link and then double clicking on the document and saving to your computer. You’ll see ‘A grain of rice!’ on page 25.  And you are welcome to share with your associates and clients, too. 

For ease of reference ‘A grain of rice’ is copied below: 

Picture the scene.  You are taking an important client to your favourite restaurant for dinner.  Your personal assistant phoned and booked.  And you know you’ll be shown to your table-of-choice.  This is exciting!  You can’t wait! 

As you drive into the familiar well-lit parking area, conversation with Maggie is good. The ‘perfect gentleman’, you open the car door for her and lead her towards the welcoming entrance to the restaurant.  Familiar faces come forward and greet you warmly by name. 

The atmosphere is perfect, the temperature exactly right.  The background aroma is appealing, not too dominant.  The lighting is just right with candles providing a soft glow.  You are proud that you have chosen this restaurant for an important relationship-building exercise. You glance around, people deeply engaged in conversation are smiling and the atmosphere is professional and yet congenial. 

The beautiful white starched table-cloths and napkins form a background to the shining silverware and sparkling glasses.  You order wine and your guest is invited to study the food menu.  You know exactly what you are going to eat.  You always order the same because it is so good.  Your mind is churning and you want to say:  ‘Hurry up Maggie, I’m hungry!’  But you politely wait for the maître-d to describe the specials and you give her time to study the menu.  

You chat and at the appropriate time, the food arrives.  You politely wait for her to pick up her cutlery and to start eating.  You eagerly await her approval of the food.  But….. as she picks up her fork to start eating, you notice that there is a single grain of rice stuck to her fork!    At the moment you notice that single grain of rice, she does, too.  She looks at in horror and doesn’t quite know what to do.    She has been given a dirty fork, one that has been in some-one else’s mouth before being half-washed and put back on the table. Where else has that grain of rice been?  No-one wants to eat recycled rice! 

Do you think your guest enjoyed the rest of the meal?  Were you proud of your choice of restaurant?  What did that one grain of rice do for your ego?  All the good times you’d had at the restaurant most probably paled into insignificance.  ‘How dare they not wash their forks properly’ – was the thought that went through your mind.  You possibly felt cheated, betrayed.  

All it takes is a single negative event to destroy a reputation.  Attention to detail is important if we intend being the person of choice, the team of choice or the organisation of choice. Positive relationships help to provide the platform for an ‘absence of malice’.  In other words, we may give the restaurateur the ‘benefit of the doubt’ when things do go wrong. 

The grain of rice is a wonderful metaphor for all aspects of the way we conduct ourselves and our businesses.  Everything else can be 100% perfect.  Yet one grain of rice in the wrong place can create a negative impression that can undo years of hard work.  My question to you is this:  What can you do to make sure that your forks are properly cleaned?  Every grain of rice needs to be in the right place.  Pay attention to detail! 

Brenda Eckstein is a speaker, trainer and executive coach who is based in South Africa but belongs to the New South Wales Chapter of NSAA.  She has published two books, ‘Networking Tactics’ and ‘ABCs of Effective Networking’. 

For more information on Brenda Eckstein International please see www.strategy-leadership.com or contact Brenda on brenda@ strategy-leadership.com or +27 82 4993311.

Customer Service: Twenty-one tips for African governments

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This week I was delighted to work with Chris Skinner and presented ‘Advanced Customer Service’ to an ESAMI (Eastern and Southern African Management Institute) group from Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia.  Discussion was of a high quality and the input from groups valuable.  

One of the modules involved a progressive series of questions:

  • What are the needs of our customers now?
  • How will those needs have changed and what will the customers’ needs be in five years time?
  • What is the role of Government in catering for those changing needs?
  • And what should the Private Sector be doing to bring about positive change that will facilitate meeting those customers’ needs?

Andrew M Kakitahi, Head of Policies Projects Programme, Bank of Uganda, leader of this ESAMI group.

Government

Much of the discussion centered around the role of respective governments in creating an environment conducive to high standards of customer service in all sectors. These factors, listed in random order below, impact on the level of service which governments, organisations, businesses and firms are able to offer. 

I have consolidated the input from their groupwork and it is divided into two sections, Government and Private Enterprise.  In this article I’ll cover only the changes in actions and approaches perceived to be necessary for governments.  The ‘private sector’ will be included in the next article.

The consolidation process broadly incorporates all points mentioned by the groups.  However, it must be emphasised that these views do not necessarily relate to a specific country and nor do they necessarily relate to all five countries represented on the course. 

Governments need to:

  1. Take into account national economic analysis in regard to regional integration to avoid having an East African Monetary Union that will be unworkable.
  2. Build capacity in terms of human resources to co-operate favourably and compete or take advantage of the opportunities that come with regional integration.
  3. Upgrade the national ICT infrastructure i.e. Fibre optics to automate business processes and promote e-commerce. This will enable easy access to prompt services – e.g. mobile service, internet service etc.  Customers will more effectively access information as well as employment opportunities.  There has to be compatibility with new technology.
  4. Introduce adequate laws to regulate the booming mobile money transaction/sector (informal banking) and new forms of banking such as ‘Islamic Banking’.
  5. Lead in the fight against corruption.  Governments should implement further anti-corruption policies to encourage ‘zero tolerance’.  An environment of trust thus impacting on customer perceptions and other aspects of service.  It would also have a ripple effect on all the other factors – for example, ‘Environmental Conservation’.
  6. Enhance security.  This could be achieved through employing more agents, introducing more modern equipment and better surveillance.  This would create an enabling environment by providing adequate security for businesses, investors and prospective investors.
  7. Allow transparency in the decision-making processes and negotiation in order to build sustainable relationships.
  8. Pay more attention to infrastructure and telecommunications and invest more:  electricity, roads, dams for water, piped water. 
  9. Enhance ‘Environmental Conservation’ by increasing forests to cover 10% more land.  Protect water catchment areas.
  10. Provide shelter.  Upgrade slums, increase the provision of cheap homes, and introduce mandatory contributions towards mortgages.
  11. Prioritise funding to key sectors – i.e. education and health.  This will avoid having discrepancies between monetary policy and fiscal policy.
  12. Provide free and compulsory primary and secondary education.  Employ more teachers who are better trained.  Provide compulsory ICT training.
  13. Enhance health facilities for all by providing better equipment, stocked and well-managed health facilities, mandatory free screening for health issues such as cancer and TB.
  14. Work on strengthening the security of food supplies.  Irrigation, storage, incentives for farmers, the revival of farming associations are among the important elements.
  15.  Expand the economy through creating employment.  Allocate more funds to youth by implementing a 10% provision for youth enterprises.
  16. Be accountable for results and be performance-oriented in the provision of services.
  17. Be proactive in legislation that facilitates environments in which business can flourish.  Provide the facility and environment for more employment and optimal use of resources.
  18. An environment conducive for doing business is essential. Re-engineer their business processes to cut out all unnecessary bureaucratic 'red tape' to allow from prompt and quality service – e.g. getting rid of long queues and/or lengthy processes.
  19. Develop customer oriented strategic plans where the customer is considered ‘first’.
  20. Provide the requisite budget for customer service activities and capacity building forums/workshops for suppliers – e.g. customer service awards, a special day for ‘celebrating customer service’ etc.
  21. Encourage employees and service providers to have a change in attitude or mindset in order to offer customers the best possible service. These should include the basics like how to build positive relationships through holding conversations, smiling and helping customers.

After the groups had concluded their deliberations and prioritised their findings, I consolidated their input, looking for patterns in order to provide the unified list above.  I also went back to my 2010 consolidation of the ESAMI group’s response to the same questions and compared the inputs there.  Some of the differences and changes that fascinated me were: 

In 2010, every group independently placed the importance of fighting corruption as a top priority.  Yet, this year, only one group mentioned this as one of the most important approaches that governments should take.  A small sample like this cannot give conclusive evidence of change.  However, the questions remain:  Is corruption more ‘under control’ than previously?  Have the governments in this country taken stronger action in the last two years and has there been a decrease in corruption?  Or have populations become more desensitised to the corruption around them?    

Another aspect that I was curious about this year was that no group gave the fighting of HIV and Aids as a top priority. Perhaps this is more under control than it was two years ago?  A new mention this time was the ‘East African Monetary Union’. 

In the next article I’ll provide the consolidation of the groups’ inputs on what the private sector should be doing now in order to better suit customers’ changing needs in 2017. 

For more information on the facilitation of ‘Advanced Customer Service’ or ‘Sustainable Customer Service Strategy’ please contact me - brenda@146.66.90.172, Phone: +27 33 3425432, Mobile: + 27 82 4993311.

Advanced Customer Service: December 2012 update

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‘Customer Service’ remains a perennial ‘hot’ topic.  Organisations, businesses and professional firms strive to provide exceptionally good service continuously.  And this applies to the ‘external customers’ and the ‘internal customers’ as well. 

In December 2012, BEI training included two days presented to ESAMI (Eastern and Southern African Management Institute) delegates from Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia.  This was part of the 2-week ‘Advanced Public Relations and Customer Care’ presented by Chris Skinner.  It is always a pleasure to be involved in this course which followed a similar format to those presented in December 2011 and 2010.  

Brenda with participants in the December 2012 training:

  • E O Agiro, Head Corporate Communications, Higher Education Loans Board, Kenya
  • Dr Jan Tibamwenda, Director Communications, Bank of Uganda

Participants:

  • Kangwa L Ndamikwa, Zicta, Zambia
  • Karabo J Marumo, National Assembly, Botswana
  • Rudo Mwadiwa Kayira, Department of Human Resource Management and Development, Malawi
  • Andrew M Kakitahi, Bank of Uganda
  • John N. Mwaura, Ministry of Energy, Kenya

During this workshop, group work included the participants developing their own lists of the benefits of excellent customer service.  Their consolidated list follows. 

‘The benefits of providing excellent customer service’ 

Excellent customer service:

  1. Increases goodwill through trust, confidence in the organisation, positive relationships.
  2. Results in customer loyalty and the retention of existing customers.
  3. Leads to satisfied customers who become ambassadors (advertising agents) leading to the acquisition of new customers.  The business expands.
  4. Reduces the cost of marketing through ‘word of mouth’.
  5. Improves the corporate image, reputation and therefore impacts positively on marketing initiatives.
  6. Helps to motivate staff as they like to identify with the organisation (which has a positive image).
  7. Through excellent rapport with the customers helps to get constructive feedback which in turn assists in research and innovation.
  8. Makes it possible to achieve the company’s mission.
  9. Strategically positions the organisation or company to become a market leader.
  10. Sets a benchmarking standard for other organisations as the organisation becomes a model.  Consultancy is possible.
  11. Generates sustainable profitability:  employee confidence, available operational cost.
  12. Leads to an increased standard of living for staff.
  13. Generates higher dividends and taxes creating a big source of revenue for government because of sustainable taxation.
  14. Results in repeat orders and the production of goods increases.
  15. Is the basis of increased CSR/CSI going back to the society.
  16. Builds shareholder confidence in the organisation.
  17. results in increased employment opportunities because the company is thriving
  18. provides awards of recognition
  19. Facilitates sustainable competitive advantage leading to the long-term sustainability of the organisation.
  20. Reduces levels of litigation against the organisation.
  21. Reduces levels of resistance against the organisation’s product and service.
  22. Improves the competitive advantage. 

All these factors generate an even higher level of service and there is an upward spiral.

For more information on ‘Advanced Customer Service’ or any of the other training or ‘executive coaching’ offered, please contact  me - brenda@146.66.90.172, Phone: +27 33 3425432, Mobile: + 27 82 4993311.

Continuous improvement: consistently shine up the apples

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In our six-week ‘EYES’ course (‘Enhance Your Executive Skills),  combining training and executive coaching, we have now covered Fun (Energy) and Leadership development.  In the third session we embody the ‘A’ in FLAG.  This stands for ‘And’, in other words, ‘something extra’.  We constantly need to shine up our product, our service and the way we operate.  I use a big, red shiny apple as my symbol of continuous improvement. 

When I was born, my mother owned a tea-room, the Handy Tea Room on the corner of West Street and Victoria Road in Pietermaritzburg.  The business still exists in the same premises.  The misnomer always intrigued me.  Why was it called a ‘tea room’ if it didn’t serve or sell tea?  I’m still not sure.  It sold the basics of bread, milk, cakes, sweets, cigarettes and amongst other supplies, fruit and vegetables.

Being a good mother, my mother started giving me meaningful tasks at a very young age.  She encouraged me to engage in activities where I could be successful.  One of the first tasks I can remember is being made responsible for polishing the apples.  All you need is a soft cloth or tissue paper.  It is easy but meaningful work.  

When I tell this story to adult audiences, my line of questioning goes something like this:

So, what do you think happened when I rubbed the apple?
(It shone.)

And what was the impact of an apple being shiny (rather than dull)?
(Customers liked the look of the apple.)
(it seemed to taste better.)

And so what action did they take?
(They came back for more.)
(They told their friends.)

So, you are saying that not only did they come back for more, but they told their friends that the Handy Tea Room sold the best apples?
(Yes.)

So, what was the impact of those two types of action on the business?
(Sales increased.)

And what else happened?
(The shops reputation improved.)

Yes, so now what did my mother have to be careful of?
(She had to make sure that the apples were always of good quality and always consistently shiny.)

So, now that she is selling more apples and her turnover is rising, what else can she do?
(She can start stocking green apples as well as red apples.)
(She can expand her product range to other commodities.)

How does all of this impact on her staffing?
(She has to employ more people.)

At this point one of the audience will usually laughingly refer to the fact that my mother could now refrain from using ‘child labour’!

I continue this line of questioning and this encourages a clear metaphor for continuous improvement.  By shining the apples consistently, the ripple effect is enormous.  And this can be applied in every aspect of our business and private lives. 

So, what can you do on a daily basis to continuously improve your product, your service and the way you operate?  Think about it.   Just do small things consistently and the impact will be enormous.  Another aspect of this story is what can you do to help others be successful?  And what would be reciprocal effect be?

For more information on ‘Executive Coaching’, training in ‘Customer Service’ or my talk on ‘Apples, Brasso and Barnacles’please contact me - brenda@146.66.90.172.

The benefits of excellent Customer Service

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During similar workshops on Sustainable Customer Service Strategy, when asked to provide ten benefits, each group develops lists.  There is sometimes very little overlap with the input from other groups.  Even when consolidated, the final ‘list’ from each workshop varies considerably.  This reflects the wide range of benefits perceived in providing a sustainable customer service programme.

If you go to our home-page and then press the blog tag, once you are in that section you’ll see a column down the right and there you’ll notice ‘categories’.  Thus it is easy to click the ‘customer service’ section and all the blogs on customer service will appear.   If you scroll down, you’ll notice that there have been two blogs on ‘The benefits of excellent Customer Service’ and these arose from workshops held in Johannesburg on July 22 2011 and Durban, July 26 2011.  Isn’t it interesting how different those two lists are? 

Then have a look at two more lists below.  These refer to recent ‘Sustainable Customer Service Strategy’ workshops co-presented with Leon Grové of Leverage and Growth in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.  In the first workshop we consolidated ‘tips’ and in the second, ‘benefits’. 

June 27 2012 - Pietermaritzburg

Tips on Customer Service

  1. Recruit the right staff – people whose ‘value systems' and ‘work ethic’ are in line with the corporate culture.  Then train them. 
  2. Consistently implement values and principles.  Capture the minds of the staff and get ‘buy in’. 
  3. Encourage a culture of improvement including training and reading. 
  4. Clearly identify and define customer needs.  Develop an attitude of ‘customer focus’ and ‘customer orientation’ as this is critical to success. 
  5. Communicate effectively with customers.  Handle feedback from customers timeously and act on it where practical and beneficial.  Let the customers know what steps you have taken. 
  6. Behave in a professional manner and at all times uphold the company image.  Strive for success in a harmonious way. 
  7. Act in a respectful way, being aware of cultural differences and perceptions. 
  8. Be agile in your approach.  Recognise and optimise opportunities in the shortest amount of time possible.  Respond to market changes and respond to new products. 
  9. Deliver what you promise and continuously improve wherever possible.  But be consistent in maintaining your standards. 
  10. Interact with external and internal customers on a personal basis, thus building positive relationships.  Visit people.  Use the telephone more.  Use e-mail less. 
  11. The sale is part of a process and even when your product or service is in the field, and money in the bank, there is still part of the process to complete.  Provide excellent and consistent after-sales service.  This keeps customers happy and enhances the value of your products. 
  12. Set up an informal task team and key people to regularly fine tune processes and implement new ones.  Use all available resources to get the job done.  Tailor service to suit customers’ specific needs through use of technology.

July 5 2012 - Durban

Excellent customer service:

  1. Has to be built into the mission statement so that it becomes a focus for staff and customers.  This needs to be visible to help everyone ‘live’ the mission.            
  2. Develops, builds and sustains long-term positive relationships with internal and external customers.      
  3. Encourages customers to be loyal and supportive and these customers pay!       
  4. Ensures that customers enjoy the experiences involved in dealing with you and your business.      
  5. Creates a framework of positive relationships where there is an ‘absence of malice’ when things go wrong.  There can also be a direct means of dealing with issues (e.g. ‘Hello Peter’).       
  6. Provides a way to handle complaints correctly so that dissatisfied customers can become loyal customers.      
  7. Generates a sense of personal  achievement.  Improved morale leads  to growth through increased turnover.     
  8. Gives customers a way to positively refer future potential customers to you.  Reputation for excellent customer service captures new customers.     
  9. Incorporates ‘following up’ and this reminds customers of our existence and generates more business.     
  10. Gives a competitive advantage enabling this business to become the ‘preferred supplier’ and a market leader through an increased share of the market. This safeguards the business as it becomes more sustainable in the long term.

For more information on our ‘in house’ workshops on ‘Sustainable Customer Service Strategy’ please contact brenda@146.66.90.172.  There is also more information on my website.

Pick up the phone

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A large organisations where I was rolling out a ‘customer service’ programme, introduced the mantra, ‘pick up the phone’.  The purpose was to get people to talk to each other.  By relying too heavily on e-mails and SMS’s, people were not building and sustaining personal relationships. 

Even better than speaking on the phone is being able to interact ‘face-to-face’.  Hearing a person’s voice, and being able to observe the subtle nuances of facial expressions and other gestures adds extra meaning to our words and leads to greater understanding. 

The General Manager of my favourite hotel was telling me today that they are introducing ‘no e-mail days’ when staff may not send e-mails to their ‘internal customers’.  The intention is to create awareness of the number of unnecessary e-mails we send.  It also hi-lights the importance speaking to people.  I applaud this initiative. 

Many of us have developed ‘send an e-mail’ as our ‘default’ way-of-operating.  What can each of us do to make sure we are communicating in the most effective way?  How do we create awareness and ‘take action’ to hold a greater number of in-person ‘quality conversations’?   

When presenting specific BEI workshops, we cover ‘how to hold quality conversations’ and ‘building positive relationships’.  If you’d like further information, please contact me - brenda@146.66.90.172, Phone: +27 33 3425432, Mobile: + 27 82 4993311.

Botswanan safari: customer service at its best

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In the previous article I gave an example of flexibility in the African bush. I also spoke about how the team at Chobe under Canvas manages to quietly maintain excellent levels of service while coping with extraordinarily difficult circumstances. 

Here, I’m providing a different example from the same trip and emphasising how the teams of ‘&Beyond’ live up to their name in going ‘way beyond’ the norms that we usually experience in customer service.  They most certainly more than ‘go the extra mile’. 

Another camp that we stayed at was the Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp.  The photo below outlines some of the restrictions which impact heavily on the normal ways in which staff can usually serve their customers (please read it – this is real!):

 And yes, at dawn on Day 2, the guides spotted fresh leopard ‘footprints’ within 10 metres of our accommodation!  So, instilling a sense of safety is inherent in the staff’s way of operating.  If guests don’t feel safe they can’t enjoy their African Experience.  They need a ‘secure base’ from which to function.  

A different aspect of safety gave yet another example of the staff’s service ‘going the extra mile.  Let me tell you about it: 

My husband, Edgar is unfortunately handicapped and we knew that this would most probably limit his ability to go on many of the game-drives, or boat trips that the rest of our party would enjoy.  And after all, our main purpose in being there was to explore the Delta with the seasonal and permanent swamp areas.  However, our personal guide Max found ways of helping Ed to participate in many of the activities.  In the Delta area he and Thembe even carried Ed from the boat.  Whenever we stopped at islands in the swamp for coffee or brunch picnics, they chose places where they could safely carry him and enable him to participate.  We are very grateful.

Brenda Eckstein photographing Thembe and Max carrying Edgar from the boat.

We are all serving others.  Every day of our lives there are opportunities for us to ‘go the extra mile’.  What are you going to do today to enrich some-one’s life?  How are you building your business through really caring about others?  Whom are you serving in your personal life and how can you improve your service to them?  How can you be your own ‘best customer’? 

‘Brenda Eckstein International’ specialises in Customer Service Strategy and training in Customer Service.  For more information please contact me – Phone: +27 33 3425432, Mobile: + 27 82 4993311, brenda@146.66.90.172.

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