Even if your customer service is good, there will be times when you ought to push the boat out and provide exceptional customer service.
Now I know you think you’ve heard it all before, and if you haven’t, you need to get out more… but a reminder about exceptional customer service may just take your business to a new level.
I was working in Hong Kong recently and went to a restaurant (Shui Hu Ju – it’s fantastic!) with some colleagues. The fourth member of our party was running late and rang to ask directions for the restaurant. The taxi driver missed the mark and dropped him a few blocks away.
Being in a strange town, we asked Luke, the restaurant manager to direct him over the phone. Unsuccessful once again! In the end, Luke took our phone and went out in search of our colleague to personally find and escort him back to the restaurant.
Now I think that was exceptional customer service (ECS).
This experience got me thinking and I asked myself, “when was the last time I gave exceptional customer service to one of my clients?” and I challenge you to ask yourself the same question.
My honest answer was, although I know I give good customer service, I couldn’t remember the last time it was exceptional.
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Realistically, I don’t think you can offer go-out-of-your-way customer service every moment of every day, nor do I think you should. However, I do think you can plan to offer ECS every now and then.
Imagine what a difference it could make.
So here’s my exceptional customer service challenge for you:
1. Think of a client you would like to build a stronger working relationship with, for the purpose of building your business.
2. Think of what you could do in the customer service department that would add value, over and above what you would normally offer. What would be a treat for them?
3. Organise yourself to go and do it (HINT: often ECS is not about the money.)
Imagine what would happen to your business if, in Flying Solo terms, you turned a SMILER into an HUGGER, or a HUGGER into a RAVING FAN? How would you and your client feel? What impact would this have on his or her relationship with you? What impact would this have on his or her life and your business?
It could just be that your exceptional customer service is “the difference that makes the difference” to your client.
