I heard an interview with the author of this article on Talk Of The Nation today, and–aside from the fact that he was intentionally playing dumb to the callers and their questions–it was deeply refreshing to hear someone discussing the dos and don'ts of the service industry.A friend recently set their Facebook status to "Is customer service dead?" and in my mind I screamed a disheartened "YES!". It made me think of a talk I attended on the future of marketing, and the title of one segment was "Customer Service Is The New Marketing", and I could not have agreed more.
Nothing makes me more loyal to a brand than a positive, friendly experience with whomever I must deal with in the process of acquiring their product. Even if I'm not satisfied with my purchase, a helpful, gracious service representative can go a long way towards keeping me coming back to that brand.
Why companies don't invest more in assuring a positive customer experience is beyond me. It's as simple as the sales clerk thanking me for my business, but even that has somehow been turned on its head. I am the one, sadly, who says "Thank you" these days, as if allowing me to hand over my money is somehow a favor they've done for me. I could honestly go on and on about this topic, but this is already running a bit long. Maybe I need to start a new blog covering the dos and don'ts of customer service. Hmm...
In the meantime, read the list. Here are few that I liked:
3. Never refuse to seat three guests because a fourth has not yet arrived.
5. Tables should be level without anyone asking. Fix it before guests are seated.
6. Do not lead the witness with, “Bottled water or just tap?” Both are fine. Remain neutral.
23. If someone likes a wine, steam the label off the bottle and give it to the guest with the bill. It has the year, the vintner, the importer, etc.
33. Do not bang into chairs or tables when passing by.
50. Do not turn on the charm when it’s tip time. Be consistent throughout.

























