Give em the pickle!

Getting new customers is important but maintaining your customers is a crucial part of any business. In the hospitality industry, your customer service must be second to none!

This story from Bob Farrell will give you one more way to see how important superior customer service is. Bob’s customer service mantra Give ‘em the Pickle! was born when he received a letter from a loyal customer vowing to never return to his ice cream parlour in the United States, simply because the waitress wouldn't give him an extra pickle without a charge.

Can you imagine losing a loyal customer over something as small as a pickle? It may seem silly, but it happens to businesses around the globe every day! Giving away ‘pickles’ is a way for any company to keep their customers happy, exceeding customer expectations and differentiating your company from the competitors. The cost of a few extra pickles is far less than the cost of lost customers and lost business.

So what are pickles, anyway? We’re not talking about dill pickles, sweet gherkins or bread and butter pickles. ‘Pickles’ are those extra, special things that make people happy and keep your customers coming back... and not necessarily 'free stuff'.

Bob's idea of a 'pickle' include:

• A little handwritten thank you note with every bill
• Walking the customer to the item they’re looking for instead of just pointing them in the general direction
• Calling the customer by name
• Answering the phone with a smile (trust me, this works!)

Every single extra effort counts. If it makes the customer feel good about themselves and their experience with your business– then it’s a pickle. The trick is to figure out what your customers want and make sure they get it.

Simply put, pickles = raving, happy customers = better business!

Here are Bob's 4 key principles for excellent customer service :

1.  Service: Make serving others your number-one priority. Great customer service happens when you exceed customers’ expectations by adding your own special touch  (Give em’ the pickle!)
2.  Attitude: Choose your attitude. How you think about the customer is how you will treat them. A shining attitude is contagious around customers and shows in the quality of your work.
3.  Consistency: Customers return because they liked what happened last time. Set high service standards and live them every day. Add your special touch and exceed your customers expectations.
4.  Teamwork: Commit to teamwork. Look for ways to make each other look good. In the end, every action by you and your staff will become visible in your business and to your clients, whether you work at a counter or behind the scenes. 

So, what’s your pickle? 

If your pickle doesn't immediately come to mind, you need to develop one. Get started right now.

Great customer service is incredibly important to any business or organization and with the proper training you can find and develop your pickles. Get in contact with Last Call Bar Solutions to get the ball rolling today.

-Sean O'Reilly
Last Call Bar Solutions

References & Sources

http://www.giveemthepickle.com/give_em_the_pickle_video.htm

http://www.giveemthepickle.com/pickle_principle.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Farrell_(motivational_speaker)

It's the little things...

Those little things that create a memorable experience for a customer. It could be the extra attention a waitress gives a table, the promptness of answering a client's email, remembering a customers name when they arrive at your window of your bank, it could be sharing your knowledge of a product to help a customer make the right decision before a purchase ... those little things that keeps your customers coming back for more, those little things that create a wonderful experience for a customer, those little things that turn your customers into advocates.

By investing that extra little bit, you are exceeding your customers’ expectations. This will enable you to turn your customers from passive users of your products and/or services to active business advocates who recommend you to their peers, without any reservations. Word of mouth publicity is by far the cheapest and most powerful form of advertising a business can generate, and by going above and beyond in any possible way will keep your customers happy and coming back to you.  

Loyalty is earned this way, return business is the reward.

Those 'little things' add up and keep us going back.  

It's one of the things that can set your business apart from the others of it's kind.

Those 'little things' are not little at all, although it may seem minor to you in the grand scheme of things, in reality they are huge for your customers.  

-SeanO

Consistency

No matter what business you are in, consistency is paramount. Nothing is worse than an inconsistent delivery of service in an age where companies and organizations strive to be one step ahead of their competition. From the very second a new customer approaches your door, he or she is taking a chance on your business. They have expectations and you had better live up to them. That very first time they walk in and every single time after that will determine whether that customer will be loyal to your business. All it takes is one bad experience, one chance. If you cannot live up to your customers expectations and requirements consistently, there is a good chance your customers won't give you a second chance.

How can a business keep it consistent?

1. It Starts at the Top - Upper management of an organization needs to be on message in every possible way in every single aspect of the company. With constant leadership and education, management will portray a level of consistency that can flow back and forth throughout a company, rather than a trickle down approach. 
2. You're Never to Cool for School - Training is the only way to be sure that everyone in an organization is on the same page. Initial training for new staff is just as important as refreshers for your existing staff. Constant education and training of your staff will pay dividends in multiple ways since not only are your employees more engaged and can better sell your products or services but it also gives your employees a level of pride that a company is investing in them.
3. Stick to the Script - Start with a comprehensive guide for your employees that details every aspect of the company including all aspects of the services and/or products you provide. Once there is a set plan and approach to the entirety of the business, employees can all sing from the same hymn sheet. Your customers will see that no matter who they deal with, no matter what day it is, no matter what the situation is that they will receive the same level of service time and time again. Make a S.O.P. and keep to it.
4. Check the Scoreboard - Foolish people in business make assumptions instead of looking at the raw data. If you do not constantly measure the level of satisfaction of your customers, you never really know how your company is doing. By surveying your customers, you can get an accurate measurement of their level of satisfaction as well as their likelihood of darkening your door again. 

The Followup

The most important thing to keep in mind is : If your company delivers consistent services, your company will reap the rewards of consistent success.

Be part of the discussion.  Let me know what you think, what did I miss, how would you approach the idea of 'Consistency' differently.  Feel free to join the discussion, I really look forward to your input.

References & Sources

http://christinekane.com/

http://blog.livehelpnow.net/consistent-customer-experience-4-tips/

http://www.pragmaticmarketing.com/resources/tips-for-delivering-consistent-services