Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JUNE 2018 44 B ecause I travel about fifty percent of my time, it's a great way to research and investigate customer service and the nuances of differentiation. The truth is that most retail experiences are not going to be unique because it is most often the case that our clientele can go elsewhere for the products we provide. So, the real way we create long- lasting relationships with our customers is to provide utterly amazing service. Here are some great and not-so-great examples of how your business culture impacts service in three differentiator areas: Differentiator #1: Anticipation. I supposed the golden rule of customer service is actually the proverbial Golden Rule . . . how would you like to be treated? One way to differentiate is to anticipate your customer's needs, desires, or circumstances. Recently, I hosted two different workshop experiences in Ireland. Because I don't live there, I was lucky to partner with two Irish people who could help out with the anticipation factor. When we were making our plans for a weekend women's gathering north of Dublin in Termonfeckin, Aileen was great at providing a wonderful list of information for our guests arrival: transportation options, places to visit, shopping subtleties, and appropriate links and numbers. We knew that most would've never been to Ireland before, so they'd have all the beginner's questions. For the second event, Owen is a pro at curating international groups and understands arrivals and departures in an energetic way. As we put together our schedule, we took time to build in space for recovering from jet lag, mid-week breaks from the content and togetherness, as well as a balance of outings versus introspective time. We anticipated what it's like to travel long distances, arrive in a strange time and place, and then be asked to dive deep into the experience. We had to resist packing the schedule full of a variety of things, and lean into the less is more principle to create the best experience for our guests. In what ways can you anticipate the needs of your customers so that they feel cared for, noticed, and special? Differentiator #2: The Little Things. I could write a whole book on the way that businesses differentiate themselves by noticing and taking action on the little things! When I arrived at the lovely country home of The Echo Lodge and Mustard Seed restaurant in Ballingarry (outside Limerick City, Ireland), host John Edward remembered that I told him I was hosting a writer's retreat the following week in Kerry. At my table that night for dinner was a beautiful coffee table book of photos and poems from the west of Ireland. I felt so touched and asked if I could take the book to my room to enjoy for bedtime reading. What a thoughtful idea! Working with the top housekeeping team at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, Florida, a group of consultants learned that the VIP guests' special preferences were noted in their records. They arrived to sprigs of lavender on pillowcases and special hand soap in the bathrooms. Once, staying at the beautiful Willka T'ika in Peru's Sacred Valley, we arrived to our shared rooms in the evening where the beds had been turned down and a cozy hot water bottle wrapped in a handwoven sleeve was tucked inside our sheets. These are actually not exorbitant items. It cost nothing to share the special book, and the other little things were nominal in price. But I'd go back to each place, and recommend to others because of this differentiator. What little (and inexpensive) things can you do to differentiate your business and buying experience? Differentiator #3: Making it Right. Full confession here: I'm known to change rooms. When we make reservations, I graciously will request the things that make my travel a bit easier: quiet room, higher floor, and end of hallway. Sometimes, things go awry, and the real differentiator is how you make it right for the customer. This doesn't mean the customer is always right, a mythological tenant of service. There are often opportunities to do something that will show the customer that you're genuinely sorry, you care about their business, and that you will let them know what's next. Once, after a long cross-country flight and terrible traffic from JFK, I arrived in a new-to-me hotel in Manhattan because the rooms were near my event and I thought it would be easier for this short trip. When I checked into my small and somewhat damp room, I was greeted with a large box plugged into the wall buzzing away like a space heater or air conditioner. Except it wasn't. I called the front desk. Three times. Finally, someone showed up at the door to take me to my new room. "What is that?" I asked, pointing to the box. "Oh, it's for the smells," the woman replied. "WHAT smells?" I wondered. "Oh, you know, other people's smells, like shoes and feet and such." I. Can't. Even. Only one night at that place, especially since I didn't notice the smell was much better in the second room. Recently, after a multiple vehicle contract with a rental car company (i.e., we spent a lot of money), we returned all vehicles in good condition, on time, and full of gas. I handed over the Wi-Fi device, which had only worked 24 hours after I'd left the parking lot. "I'd like a refund for the days that it didn't work," I requested. At first, the attendant told me I could call customer service or walk all the way back into the airport, neither of which sounded good to me in the midst of transferring bags and people and details. Finally, we asked really nicely, and he took the 10 minutes to take care of it in the return bay. Whew! Thank you for making it right! I booked another car for the rest of the trip. How do you make it right when something goes wrong with the buying experience? GOOD SERVICE : A TRAVEL TRIPTYCH Libby Wagner Culture Coach RO Libby Wagner, author of The Influencing Option: The Art of Building a Profit Culture in Business, works with clients to create and sustain profit cultures. www.libbywagner.com

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