ist magazine April 2023

“Maybe I’m just boring, but I don’t like surprises. They’re great one day and disappointing the next. I don’t need to be delighted. I just need what I need when I need it.”

“They’re hit or miss. Sometimes the service is marvelous. Other times it’s simply meh. I’m afraid to recommend the place be cause I can’t trust them to deliver.”

“What can I say, except every experience is an adventure with those people. I go there because it’s close. I’m not loyal; I’m local. If another option pops up, I’ll probably make a switch.”

INSTEAD, RELIABLY & REPEATEDLY DELIVER GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE By Kate Zabriskie M any businesses talk about giving exceptional service when they’ve yet to master the fundamentals of a reliable and repeatable customer experience. They look for opportunities to dazzle when they should first focus on the basics and work toward mastering consistently good. For too many organizations, there is a misplaced priority on occasionally amazing instead of consistently good. Subsequently, reputations suffer, customers are less loyal, and employees less capable of delivering on what’s promised. Is that to say that being exceptional shouldn’t be a goal? Of course not. However, it’s hard to run before you can walk, and most places occasionally stumble or have difficulty putting one foot in front of the other. Repeatable and reliable good service pays off more often than not for most organizations. Don’t Get Distracted by DAZZLE!

Payoff One: CONSISTENTLY GOOD CAN BUILD TRUST. When an organization delivers a solid service experience with few surprises, people know what to expect, and a certain level of trust develops. On the other hand, when a provider delivers an A today, a C tomorrow, and a D next week, the lack of consistency undermines the trust-building process. In short, A, C, D almost always loses to B, B, B.

Your Move Take a hard look at what you’re delivering. Are you steady and con sistent, or is there more variation in the service experience? If you’re not performing with regularity, take the time to set basic standards, train on those expectations, and review and re fine what you’re doing on an ongoing basis. ß

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