When it comes to serving others, chances are that you will make mistakes occasionally. Even in the most opulent, 5-star hotels and restaurants, guests are sometimes disappointed. The same goes for hospitals, banks, nursing homes, spas, airlines, and any other businesses that serve people. The key to this seemingly unavoidable dilemma
No matter what the job title is, everyone has the power to create memorable experiences for their customers. Regardless of the setting or the industry, service excellence begins and ends with at least one person having the desire to not just serve, but to literally improve the life of someone
At a recent meeting, I was helping a team of executives brainstorm ways to WOW their customers. Once we began brainstorming, it became clear to me that the executives’ perception of what a WOW was and my perception were completely different. To them, consistently smiling and greeting a customer was
Many people believe that the perfect place to learn about how to provide world-class service is in a luxury hotel or a renowned hotel school. While that may be true in some cases, I found another place that is an even more powerful training ground. On a recent trip to
If we truly want to serve in an exceptional manner, then we must regularly look at service from our customer’s perspective. It can become quite easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day operation of our jobs, that we unintentionally overlook simple service errors. We, as service providers, can
Not long ago, I visited a well-known department store to buy a few items. I was armed with a list of carefully selected items that were on sale. When I got to the store, however, I realized that I left the sales paper at home. So I went to the
*This is my “thank you” to the great nurses of the world. You are a gift to everyone who is fortunate to be served by you.* I love exceptional customer service. Everything about it. I love that those who serve do not think of themselves as servants, but as service
When we look at the word “hospitality”, it is no coincidence that “hospital” encompasses most of it. I firmly believe that healthcare is the highest form of hospitality. This word typically generates images of hotels, restaurants, and spas. Many people in the healthcare industry, however, don’t think of themselves as
I work with organizations all over the globe, and there is one question that I am always asked, “Where does service excellence begin?” In other words, they want to boil it down to the very beginning, and fully understand what steps should be taken to successfully embark on this service
When we think of world-class service, images of luxury hotels and country clubs usually fill our minds. What about car dealerships? I know what you must be thinking…”surely he means a Bentley dealership or some other top-line car”. Not so…I am referring to a basic car dealership that sells and
I recently returned from the annual Examiner training for the Baldrige National Quality Program. Every year, I’m more convinced that the Baldrige framework is the closest thing to a silver bullet when it comes to systematically improving an organization. Even when a small fraction of the framework is applied, improvements
Over the last few years, one of the main questions I’m constantly asked is, “What is the best way for my company to engage our customers?” My short answer is usually, “engage those who serve the customers”. Sounds simple enough…but before you go running to the jewelry store to buy
