With all this wonderful talk about the Christmas TV adverts from our High Street favourites – M&S and John Lewis, let’s spare a thought for the customer.
Wooed through multi-media by the whimsical suggestion of magic and sparkle, how exactly does that translate to the customer shopping experience? As the mantra of every employee at Disney resorts can testify “It’s not the magic that makes it work; it’s the way we work that makes it magic”.
One trait of a great leader is to always focus on others not on themselves. So it makes sense that finding the right ‘others’ to lead is where it all starts. To create true magic and not just an excellent experience for your customers, particularly at this time of year, it starts and ends with brilliant people.
Whether you’re looking for Christmas staff or recruiting full time and senior roles in your business the strategy is exactly the same. Hiring the best and right people, training them, trusting them, respecting them and listening to them. They are the closest people to your customers and are your brand voice, energy, and pulse.
However, service excellence doesn’t just exist within stores, hotels, and other customer orientated businesses. Customer service, magical customer service, is a personal responsibility of everyone in every organisation. It needs to be woven intrinsically into the company’s culture to become truly magical, and that means from the CEO down. The careful selection and recruitment of all employees who can understand, live, and act in accordance with the service principles that each business lays down is key. Get it right and you can secure the most revenue- boosting asset you could wish for – a reputation for brilliant service.
What do you need to create this service utopia? Well, we all know that good service is about listening to the customer, understanding their needs and wants and providing them the best solutions… but it’s more than that.
It involves the existence of a number of human attributes in each of your staff, and in abundance!
TO CREATE A MAGICAL SERVICE EXPERIENCE ADD A GENEROUS HELPING OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING PLUS A DASH OF MAGIC & SPARKLE……
- CONSISTENCY – delivering the same standard of excellence for every customer, every day
- INTEGRITY – living, believing and personifying the brand and service philosophy, not forcing it.
- CREATIVITY – inspiring yourself and others to think differently and to continuously improve. Setting new highs.
- HUMILITY – accepting that every customer has a unique set of values and expectations and adapting to these.
- EXPECTANCY – anticipating success, expecting challenges, and wanting to enjoy each and every interaction.
- RESPONSIBILITY – from the moment the customer makes eye contact with you they are your responsibility. Take it and be accountable.
- URGENCY – if it needs to be dealt with – do it. Now.
- GENEROSITY – of spirit is the most rewarding of emotions and it doesn’t cost you anything.
- HOSPITALITY – customers have entered your world. Invite them in to stay for a while.
- FESTIVITY – reward yourself by having some fun with your customers and colleagues along the way.
One thing is for sure – that brilliant, magical service doesn’t cost any more up front than delivering mediocre or poor service. Get it right first time and the returns are immensely increased. Get it wrong and you can stand to lose a lot of money and customers… not to mention a whole heap of magic and sparkle!
Get in touch to ensure your business creates ‘magic and sparkle’ for your customers this Christmas.
No one brings magic and sparkle to an organisation like Toni Sheppard. Lead by example and your team will follow with a big smile on their face and cheer in their heart