I’ve just been to lunch in a small independent cafe, I try wherever I can to use small businesses for obvious reasons! What a pity, I don’t think I’ve had such a stressful experience getting served in such a long time.

Putting that to one side and whilst I waited an age for my elusive cappuccino, I noticed something interesting. Every time a waiter (there were several) interacted with a customer, their first word was sorry…..sorry to keep you waiting, sorry you haven’t been served yet, sorry your order is taking a while!

What a way to start a relationship with a customer and a new one in my case. Even if things are not right, and don’t get me wrong the ’sorry’ bit is a direct result of something going terribly wrong way up the customer process chain, try and think of starting the opening sentence with something a little more positive.

It’s an interesting thought that this cafes most used word was sorry, made me think what mine was and perhaps it might make you think of what your most used word is with customers. Whatever it is make sure its a positive, dynamic one!

The cafe in question, I give it 8 months!!!!

Great post by Mark Ramsay at:

www.hear2.com/2008/05/it-doesnt-have.html

I supply a lot of training to business support agencies funded by the government. I enjoy doing them and I meet some great people running businesses. Yesterday I got a letter from one of them, who will remain nameless, addressed to “Dear Valued Supplier.” It annoyed me…if I’m particularly valued why haven’t they addressed me by my name?

Fundamental mistake in marketing no business, if you are addressing a letter to someone never ever make it ambiguous. Be courteous and get straight to the point…Dear Ann, Hi Ann or whatever! It’s unbelievable that basic errors like this are being made.

Rant over…….!

I spent quite a bit of time in the car today which got me thinking (to pass the time.) What are some of the key questions we should be asking ourselves on a regular basis. You know the ones we avoid immediately as soon as they enter our head, or, the ones our staff possibly ask themselves each day. Anyway I came up with five:

1. How would your customers recognise you if you got rid of your company logo?

2. What if your best customer was about to go and do business elsewhere?

3. What if your exceptional reputation for customer service was based on just a couple members of your staff or team?

4. What else would you do at work if you had an extra hour a day?

5. Which customers should you be picking the phone up to tomorrow…. urgently?

I’m not saying what you come up with you might do, but hey it may get you thinking!!! What other questions should we be posing?

I recently had a holiday in the Canary Islands and very nice it was too! Everyday, well almost everyday, we caught the free shuttle bus from the hotel down to the beach and village (a short 1.5km) to do what your average holiday maker does on holiday. What was interesting was that the bus driver (on his own accord) gave out small boiled sweets to all the passengers both going out and coming back! Small gesture but huge feel good feel factor. He didn’t need to do. His motivation, to make people feel welcome to his island and so he could engage in conversation!

This just proves that great customer service can be so very, very simple or should I say we need to keep it simple. It’s those things that make a huge difference and engender loyalty to your product, service and brand.

Intrinsically motivating your customer – making them feel good about the purchase, gaining their trust and respect, understanding their values, over delivering, saying thanks and appealing to them is far more powerful than extrinsically motivating them - giving them materialistic rewards such as money off vouchers and buy one get one free. It’s essentially making your only differentiating factor price which, of course, is not sustainable.

Provide customers with great service, a few simple, low cost great surprises along the way (the sweets) and ensure any customer retention strategy has gaining customer trust and respect at it’s core. That’s what customer service should be about. Perhaps a little more creative thought required but isn’t that the point?