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Don’t chase shadows aiming for magical service
I answered the following client question with a No. Client: “Hey Steven, we’d like to have you speak at our conference about how our managers can build a magical service experience”. You’ve heard the saying, one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure? It’s the same with service. You know it. You know all customers are…
Is service ‘really’ that important?
We spend so much time and money chasing after service initiatives. Is it important? Service Integrity surveyed 324 respondents asking the following paired response questions. Which is more important? Store Presentation 8% Service 92% So, 92% chose Service over store presentation, yet stores can easily spend $500,000 on a single store fit-out but begrudge spending USD50 per month…
Stop throwing money away measuring service
Have you ever gone shopping and bought some electronic gadget only to find it’s collecting dust under the stairs? Spending money on surveys can sometimes feel the same. I know. It seems like a necessary evil. The problem is, so much of the waste is unnecessary. Here’s how to avoid the waste: 1) Looking under the…
Be careful with Net Promoter Score
Are you customers loyal? Do they drive business? Most organisations fret over this question. Companies obtain their Net Promoter Score by asking customers a single question on a 0 to 10 rating scale: “How likely is it that you would recommend our company to a friend or colleague?” Based on their responses, customers can be…
The 13 Keys to Great Management
Your employees don’t care. They have a dead end job. You know it and they know it. But you need them. How can you get them motivated long term? How can you get them to care? If you want employees to care, then care for the employees. The Gallup organisation in 2008 published a wonderful…
Cross-Sell is NOT a Dirty Word
I know I know. Your staff hate up-selling. They think it’s pushy. Some staff still think customer service is all about the warm cuddly “How’s the weather discussion”. That may be fine, but… Customers don’t expect to waste their time. They expect to be sold to, and expect to be cross sold. We conducted a…
Unbelievable. Customers want to buy, you won’t sell.
The biggest problem facing Retailers is their ability to sell. Below are some statistics from thousands of Mystery Shops collated through my company Service Integrity Mystery Shopping The results are self explanatory. Closing the sale – or referring a Sale to someone else are the biggest problems facing our clients. But I can hear your…
Net Promoter Score. Cheap is as Cheap Gets.
Are you customers loyal? Do they drive business? Restaurants fret over this question, as do most organisations. Companies obtain their Net Promoter Score by asking customers a single question on a 0 to 10 rating scale: “How likely is it that you would recommend our company to a friend or colleague?” Based on their responses,…
Building Service Distribution
Would you rather be a car or a bridge? I recently had the good fortune of connecting a client with a supplier. The connection was valuable to both parties, and I took a margin along the way. All of a sudden I became a Services Wholesaler. No work, just connections. Value is created by connecting…
How to Make Something Free and Valuable
Although a very scarce resource, water is a commodity. Everywhere you turn, you will see water bottles for sale. How do you choose one over the other? I was looking for food and drink while travelling to a speaking engagement away from home. The food hall had many many choices. Where should I go? A…