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By Kerry Painter
“Artful human behavior” is
the new catchphrase for customer service, but unless you were at this
year’s Senior Executive Symposium at Cornell University, I’m sure you’ve
never heard it before. Although it’s not really catchy, and it’s more of
a phrase that gives you pause and a reason to scrunch up your eyebrows,
I’m convinced you’ll hear more about it in the future.
Time and time again, all of us have heard about the importance of
customer service, and although most places have yet to figure out what
good service really is — and have yet to begin providing it — we’ve
certainly heard many lectures about it. It’s generally demanded that the
staff “say hello, be polite and helpful, smile, and say goodbye” — the
same skills one teaches a two-year-old at daycare.
Perhaps it’s time to raise our standard with the new expectations of
artful human behavior, which opens horizons for your employees with
actions that have unlimited possibilities for service.
A Service Statement
At the Northshore Harbor Center, our service statement is “Lagniappe
service every day.” For me, this defines artful human behavior. For
those of you who don’t speak Louisianan,
 lagniappe
is defined as something extra you didn’t pay for or expect, kind of like
ordering cake at a restaurant and having it arrive with ice cream too.
Setting a standard for your staff that every customer should leave with
more than he paid for or expected illustrates the over-used phrase
“Exceed their expectations” and moves into the realm of intended,
thoughtful, creative service and artful behavior.
If your facility doesn’t have a service statement, I urge you to
consider adopting one and defining for your employees what you expect
them to express to your customers and guests. The Ritz Carlton’s
statement “Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen” has
certainly taken them far, and it artfully expresses their expected
behavior in a way employees can understand.
Increasing Sales Via Service
Why, might you ask, is this discussion about service statements and
employee behavior standards in the “Sales and Marketing” section of this
magazine? Well, because I challenge you to consider your service
standards as a means of increasing sales.
Imagine if the entire facility behaved in a fashion described as artful.
Even on days when something went wrong with your event (and it will, no
matter how diligent you are), don’t you believe a customer would rush to
return to your facility if the solution was provided in a graceful,
artful way? In other words, with the right staff training you can’t go
wrong, no matter what happens.
Further, if you can make customers happy enough to return, certainly
they’re likely to refer others. If your clients were walking themselves
back to your facility, imagine how much time you would free up for your
sales manager to go out and find new customers.
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TAKE-HOME POINTS
• If your facility doesn’t have a service
statement, consider adopting one and defining for your employees what you
expect them to express to customers and guests.
• Why not market the thing that you already have, which is, in reality,
already paid for: service training?
• Put your service statements everywhere: name tags, Web sites, letterhead,
envelopes, and the facility’s walls. |
As for the Northshore Harbor
Center, we’re certainly not the biggest venue in the area, and we need
to find ways to attract and keep customers who are a good fit for us, or
who might not realize we can be the right alternative. We’re also a new
facility, so we need an enticement to get customers to consider
switching from their tried and true venues.
With our artful lagniappe service, we’ve managed to maintain a high rate
of repeat customers in our first year of operating, and to me that
spells success. Should we not be a good fit for a customer who inquires,
be assured we’ll go out of our way to help him locate the perfect place,
knowing he’ll be back again when we do work for him.
Spread the Word
How many marketing dollars does it take to create customer loyalty? Why
not market the thing that you already have, which is, in reality,
already paid for: service training?
Put your service statements everywhere: name tags, Web sites,
letterhead, envelopes and the facility walls. Make it something that
attracts people, or better yet, strikes up a conversation so your
employees have to explain what it means, creating a dialogue.
It certainly sets up an expectation for guests, as they’re clearly
explained the treatment and experience they’ll receive during their
visit. It’s absolutely a powerful marketing tool to put your venue at
the top of the pile.
If you’re ever at the Northshore Harbor Center, look for our artful
lagniappe behavior. If you wish to study more about the subject, read
Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind. The world is changing fast, and if we
can increase sales with minimal expense, well … I don’t have to tell you
the rest.
Kerry Painter is the
general manager of the Northshore Harbor Center in Slidell, La. |
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