I recently reported on Facebook 2 incidents which demonstrated that business owners were getting serious about sales and service… the first was when the bank teller asked me after she had completed my transaction was there “Anything else I can do for you?” That knocked me out for a start… it’s never happened before. Then at one of my healthcare providers the receptionist actually demonstrated a useful heath aid and asked me “Would you like to buy one?” Gosh, what’s the world coming to?
The icing on the service cake occurred the other day when Eswen, my miracle working PA returned from a quick trip up north flying Jetstar, an airline not highly regarded for service. Eswen left her book in the seat pocket when she got off the plane in Melbourne and, although she contacted Jetstar to tell them of her loss, she fully expected (as we all would) never to be reunited with her book again. So was I absolutely amazed when Eswen reported that Jetstar not only found the book but mailed it to her! How about that for service way above and beyond expectations? A gold star for Jetstar folks!
These 2 incidents surprise you?? Have you not rung a Telco, a power company, a bank, American Express, a cable TV company and just about every other company with a dedicated call center in the past 3 years? They are programmed to ask that question. It’s not going above and beyond – it’s been the norm for years. Equally on the Jetstar return of the book – if I came to your office and left a book there I would expect that you would return it to me (yes you might ask me for the postage) but it is NOT ‘way above and beyond my expectation’ that a place of business that I attended, would return something I left there.
Sorry, I disagree.
It scares me when Telcos ask me if there is anything else they can do as it usually follows a call from me about something stuffed up the last time they asked that question. No its not going above and beyond. It SHOULD be the norm, but it isnt the norm unfortunately. It must be only Jetstar that return books as another airline said they would return it to me on my next time through…haven’t been that way since! Post it? No Im sorry we are not ale to do that. What would go way above my expectations is if someone said “Leave that with me and I will call you back” and they actually called back! I used to expect these little courtesies that Winston speaks of to be normal but these days people who actually LOVE customer service & know their job are few and far between
Thanks Michael and I guess that your comments only go to prove that it depends upon who you deal with… both the company you’re calling and the individual handling the call can often provide different results at different times. My only hope is that, by recognising great service when we get it, we can inspire others to provide it and give thanks for it.
And Taku maybe if we praise people who provide great service we’ll infect lots of others to deliver it and praise when they receive it.