Posted by Steven Gorlin on October 22, 2008 at 6:39am
Just a Suggestion from a student of Raving Fans.Step 1 DECIDE. Get together with your staff. Brain storm. If you already haven't, first define your customer. If you already have...do it again and see if anything has changed. Now... with that customer in mind - CREATE A VISION OF WHAT THE PERFECT EXPERIENCE IS - FOR THAT CUSTOMER. You are the source. It's what you want as perfection that comes first. How many times and in what ways does your company TOUCH the customer? You decide what perfection is for each of those TOUCH POINTS. It doesn't mean you have to be perfect. Just imagine the perfect experience centered on the customer.Step 2 DISCOVER what the customer's perceptions of your company is. How do they perceive each and every TOUCH POINT? Ask them, talk with them, and... LISTEN TO THEM.Step 3 DELIVER+1. Find the weak points...improve them. Write procedures so that each and every TOUCH POINT becomes PREDICTABLE and CONSISTANT. The perfect experience! Like the McDonalds french fry. You buy it, not because it's the best, but because you know what it is. You've experienced the consistency. Now, once the procedures are written manage the process not the employees. Be sure the process is accurate if not update it, refine it, and keep testing it.+1 means deliver your service predictably, consistantly, each and every time again and again. Then, just go 1% further. That 1% here and another 1% there over time adds up to a lot of percent (%). Plus, it doesn't create unreasonable demands on the system or your employees. Asking for 110% sounds great but may be unreasonable and if those goals are not met your staff may become disappointed, disengaged, and 'done-in'.So.. DECIDE, DISCOVER, DELIVER PLUS 1 Try it. It works. If you require further information on this procedure read Ken Blanchards, "RAVING FANS".
Creating Raving Fans is doable for us all. It's good for your business and the overall health of the industry. A Raving Fan tells others he/she knows about the quality of your services and products. In most cases, we are close to provide Raving Fan service. We may need to tweek our attitudes a little, or as stated above, determine how we're going to make each "touch point" a memorable one. Then set into motion a procedure that assures predictability and consistency. Best of luck.
Michael thank you for your comment. I agree. A lot can be learned from this fable. In a non-threatening way Blanchard's story communicates the necessary approach to 21 century customer service. It is no longer acceptable to just create satisfied customers, when in this world of internet and social networks, a dissatisfied customer no longer tells 10 people of their negative experience, they tell millions.
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