Here’s two scenarios to consider:

1. A couple returns to their favourite all-inclusive resort in Mexico. The concierge at the first resort greets the customers by name and welcomes them back to the resort. In their room, they find a bottle of champagne and a card wishing them a happy anniversary.

2. Another couple returns to a different all-inclusive resort. Even though they have been there multiple times, the concierge greets them, asks for their names and then if they have been there before.

Which resort do you predict will have these customers returning in the coming years?

Providing exceptional customer service is no accident. Companies that pride themselves on exceptional customer service have made a commitment – and that commitment guides every business decision they make. Successful companies that do customer service well have come to realize that customer service is not a department, it’s a mindset.

Perhaps you are lucky enough to work for such a company. Maybe your company invests in customer service and has systems in place to help provide you with the information on returning customers and an environment that encourages you to go the extra mile for the customer. Unfortunately, that is not the case for many of us. Many companies pay only lip service to customer service – and in the end, the bottom line trumps the customer.

So – what can one person really do to impact the customer experience? I have found that the difference between exceptional customer experience and an average customer experience are just small things. That’s a funny thing about customer service – when you ask a customer why their experience was so good, it’s usually not anything revolutionary. It’s simple things like using a customer’s name, thanking them sincerely for their business or even remembering details of a past transaction.

Several years ago, my husband and I celebrated our anniversary at a new restaurant. Several days later, we received a hand-written note from our server, thanking us for spending our anniversary at the restaurant. Did the restaurant have a database where the server could input our names, address and key dates? Probably not. The restaurant did however have a server who was committed to wowing his customers. He made a point of asking if we were celebrating anything special. And when we filled out the comment card (including our contact info), he made a note of it. To this day, that restaurant remains one of our favourites. A small gesture, with a big result.

Maybe you don’t think customer service is part of your job as your role is not really customer-facing. Let’s be clear here – we all have customers! Your customers may be internal employees in other department, but they are still customers. They depend on you to support them in some way – from providing a service or information that in some way enables them to complete their duties.

I believe every single one of us has the potential to contribute to exceptional customer service. Make a commitment to do one thing to improve a customer’s experience tomorrow. And the next day, make the same commitment. You will be amazed at the results!

#customerexperience #customerservice #smallgesturesbigresults