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Service Heroes - Angels disguised as people that can make the sale

Written by: Christiane Pohl

Article Overview: Deep in our hearts we are all dreaming of SERVICE HEROES, people who take the stress out of doing business Good service is always important, but extraordinary service really dazzles people and brings them back time after time. Here is an example......

Service Heroes - Angels disguised as people that can make the sale

How often do poor acts of service let businesses and organizations down? How often have you dealt with any number of companies that may have great products only to become frustrated and stressed when dealing with the sales or contact person?


And, how often have you heard a sales or customer service person say 'YOU need to understand our system is this' - or 'our computer can't do that' - and they leave you feeling that you are a 'difficult customer' just because you do not understand their system or what their computer can or cannot do? I am sure you know what I am talking about.

And deep in our hearts we are all dreaming of SERVICE HEROES; Angels disguised as people that make our live easier, our interactions with them simple and that take the stress out of doing business with them and the company they work with, people who go the extra mile.

Reinforcing a corporate culture that encourages our staff members to be Service Heroes helps to increase sales and customer loyalty.

Good service is always important, but extraordinary service really dazzles people and brings them back time after time.

Extraordinary service can be quite ordinary on the surface. Here is an example: In August last year we spent a few days in Berlin and on the spur of the moment decided to have coffee in the Hotel Adlon near the Brandenburger Gate. The Adlon is the equivalent to the London Ritz and we were prepared for good service and a luxurious environment.

What we were not prepared for was that having coffee there would become an unforgettable experience. From the moment we approached the door we were welcomed by friendly and inviting staff members. The waitress, while busy acknowledged us with a smile and indicated that she would be over shortly. After a few minutes she arrived still smiling and apologized for the delay. We ordered ice-coffee. The coffee was great, the water fountain in the center of the room was soothing, the soft piano music non-intrusive and the ambiance inviting. However, it was the staff team and especially the waitresses who turned this into an extraordinary service experience. They smiled, they were friendly, they anticipated every need, they made us feel at home and we were not even staying there. What exactly did they do? Ordinary things, but they delivered them in an extraordinary way.

They treated every guest with interest, they refilled the little complimentary petite four plates as if we deserved to have as many as we could eat, they smiled frequently, were consistently attentive and discreet at the same time. They seemed to love being there and they looked great, well groomed in a simple yet elegant uniform. WE did not want to leave - and went back the next day for more.

We can all be Service Heroes every day, with our internal customers, our staff members, with our colleagues, our external customers and - in traffic. It is a decision we make every time we interact with other people.

Last month I came across a great line from Donald Cooper: 'It's all about them', - the customers. I put it in up in my office (the front room of our house).

Creating extraordinary service experiences doesn't have to cost a lot but it does need the commitment to lead by example.

And each time we are Service Heroes we take the stress out of life and business.

with my best wishes for your success,

Christiane Pohl

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Article Tags: customer satisfaction, extraordinary service



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