Service Untitled

The luxurious and extravagant hotel on the island of Palm Beach, Florida touting two turrets with waving flags reminiscent of a Roman palace immediately creates the illusion of a magical kingdom fit for the most discriminating clientele. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Breakers Hotel sits on 140 acres of manicured lawns, hedges, pools, spas, hotel rooms, and exquisite restaurants. The staff ranges from 1600 to 1800 depending on the time of year and covers 50 languages. From the moment one arrives, the promise of a truly regal customer experience is realized.

So it came to be my family’s desired location for Christmas dinner; the dinner buffet in the Ponce de Leon Ballroom. And the “WOW” customer service experience began. From the smiles of the welcoming staff as we drove up to the grand entrance, to the lobby with the vaulted ceilings, tufted sofas, and the attentive service personnel ready to direct their guests to whatever direction they might be headed, ensured a lasting family memory.

At one time buffets were designed, at least from the customer point of view as an “all you can eat” experience where massive quantities of food were presented without much thought to presentation. Today’s guests expect elegance, upscale ambiance, an easy traffic-flow to navigate through different stations, and an upbeat and attentive staff.  So how did the Breakers exceed customer expectations?

Two hostesses greeted us as we approached the dining room and within moments led us to our table. A live band played soft music; the saxophonist was incredibly talented. The buffet was set up on both sides to accommodate either section of the dining room with an exquisite dessert table set off to the side. There was never more than a few moments wait to scoop up a delectable selection of food ranging from salads, cold displays of jumbo shrimp, oysters and little neck clams, to caviar, hot buffet items, and carving stations; each selection skillfully presented amid a backdrop of exquisite Christmas decorations, ribbons, and wreaths. After all isn’t presentation at least 50 percent of a buffet’s appeal? The wait staff was able to anticipate and react to their guests requests, and were knowledgeable about vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free diets including questions about ingredients for food sensitive diners.  Managers in well tailored suits, hostesses in professional holiday fashion, and waiters anxious to please and attentive to every detail knew when to approach and when to leave guests to the privacy of their special family moments.

A good buffet showcase such as the Christmas Day Dinner is more than just a fine dining experience.  It actually serves as a showcase for banquets and special services. The ability of this extraordinary customer experience draws people into the hotel who may not normally visit, but who have been so impressed by the services and venue may now one day plan a wedding, social occasion, or business conference. And from this experience comes our family telling our other relatives what a wonderful afternoon we spent at the Breakers, and the good reviews pass on and on. Of course, the story of this exceptional experience can’t be complete until I mention a few of the desserts which included gourmet hot chocolate shots, peppermint bark, walnut rum balls, and egg nog mousse martinis. There just wasn’t a frown in the place!

The National Retail Federation estimates the average jolly holiday shopper will conservatively spend $750 for family and friends this season. Of course that includes gifts, decorations, and greeting cards which we all like to share as the joys of the season take over our common sense. What we don’t like however, are problems with the merchandise or services we purchase. Therefore customers are more likely to shop at the competition when customer service perfection fails. Sadly the loss of business can be from one bad experience and how it is handled, so the pressure’s on.

For many shoppers, the local mall is the venue of choice for holiday gifts. There’s convenience in parking, a wide selection of merchandise, and often last minute sales  even beat the price of online shopping. The most popular products for gifts include toys, electronics, and clothing, and here is where retailers definitely find it imperative to put their best foot forward to not only lure shoppers into their stores, but build up enough confidence and satisfactions that these shoppers will want to return – perhaps even in January when sales notoriously slump. And even though customers always want to cut corners when it comes to getting a bargain, never underestimate the power of excellent customer service.

When time is almost always at a premium, statistics have stayed constant showing shoppers still willing to pay extra for superior customer service. If two stores in the mall carry the same merchandise, but one store excels in pleasing customers and presents that ‘wow” experience we all dream of when shopping, customers still swing towards the near perfect experience. So what are some of the customer service “need to master” skills in order to create that exceptional experience ? Here are the top three:

• Be enthusiastic when customers enter your store. Make customers feel comfortable – not necessarily by overwhelming them by trailing them around the store, but be helpful. Is there no better feeling when shopping then not having to search around an entire store for the product and having a sales representative available to answer questions or help a shopper find a specific size or color? Customer service representatives should like their jobs; it’s quite apparent when an employee is just counting down the hours until their shift is over. Have a great training program, and hire the best you can afford. It’s not about having warm bodies to ring up sales; it’s about having employees who add to the importance of your business by representing it with knowledge, honesty, and enthusiasm.
• Customer service representatives should be thoroughly familiar with what their business offers. The sales process begins with listening to the customer to find out what they want and need. When a talented salesperson is able to advise, lead a customer and then help them make the best choice, customers appreciate the effort. Great customer service isn’t about over selling, it’s about filling the need with the most appropriate product or service and doing it with patience, efficiency, and grace.
• Never forget to show your customer or client you appreciate their business and their loyalty. That ever important “thank you” reminds people they are individuals and each time they enter your store you are appreciative of their business and will always strive to do your best to meet their needs.

While the crush of Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed, consumers always remember the best shopping experiences – including prices, quality, and customer service experiences. Be one of those exceptional providers and watch your business continue to grow.

Photo from Flickr

I heard the term “social vampire” in 2005 when it referred to a person who more or less attached them self to someone and piled on attention until they felt that the person they were endowing with excessive flattery liked them in return. And when they were satisfied with that relationship, then the “social vampire” would cling on to the next person – drawing apart everyone’s patience and exhausting all those left behind in that person’s social wake.

Jeff Woodland, a blog writer for Genesys recently equated himself to having been a “social vampire” in his customer service dissatisfaction with his Internet provider and contends a business’ reputation can be greatly harmed via Facebook, Twitter, and company forums. It’s quite simple for anyone who can find  the “power on” button of a computer to learn how to make an impression on social networks, yet it becomes eminently more difficult for an organization to fight back and not lose customers and clients. Are the comments and criticisms being addressed by the right people, is the organization accessible and readily able to deal with complaints, and does customer service and their promises live up to the expectations a customer expects?

The basis for handling any customer complaint is believing that the customer truly thinks they have been wronged. Will customers lie? Are there really people out there who are so isolated, frustrated, or even perverse they would want to destroy a business? Of course the answer is yes, but for the most part the best way to handle a customer complaint online, by phone, by email, or in person, is to stop and listen. Too many agents begin speaking before the customer is even finished, but taking a deep breath, relaxing, and listening becomes an integral part of any problem solving, since we can’t figure out a solution until we know the problem. Next the seasoned customer service representative will want to repeat the problem back to the customer. In cases where the customer is rude, angry, or even vulgar, the better part of valor dictates one waits until the customer calms down.

Once the problem is established, and the customer representative has demonstrated they heard and understood the problem, the next step is to apologize. Customers don’t care if a shipment was delayed, a wrong price was quoted, or an employee tripped and hurt her head. Here’s the time to apologize even if you think everything was done correctly. Just remember, from your customer’s perspective something went wrong, and if it’s not a litigious issue, there is nothing wrong trying to make your customer feel better and that their business really matters to you. Then go about solving their problem, and when using social media, make sure you address solutions either in their entirety if the drama played out on social media, or if you were lucky enough to handle it one on one, at least address that a private message was sent so other readers know the problem has being handled and more than likely on the route to a mutual resolution.

Sometimes, however there are just those customers whose attitudes an organization might consider “firing.” Is the customer worth keeping? Sometimes “social vampires” climb aboard for no other reason than to be dangerous and confrontational. Every organization has to deal with difficult people, but the key is not to react or launch a counter-attack. Never let a “social vampire” bait you. Courteous and professional responses must curb any confrontation before it becomes contentious. Keep the comments respectful, don’t trespass onto personal feelings, but know when to fold your cards and walk away from the table.