To all our Filipino CEAs, Clients and Partners at SatisFIND, we wish you a Happy Independence Day!
Given the current buzz about the Philippines, be it the “It’s more fun in The Philippines” campaign by the Department of Tourism or the positive rating for the country in the financial markets, I am reposting one of my earlier blogs to pay tribute to the greatness of the Filipinos.
Filipinos have always been known for our warm hospitality, so it makes sense that we are also considered world-class in customer service. We leverage on our culture and innate behavior to be able to provide a method of customer service that is uniquely Filipino.
Customer service used to be a hotline for complaints. It used to be a reception desk for special requests, and the occasional raffle or the lost child at the mall.
But as we all now know, customer service has evolved. Avis is most remembered for its 1962 campaign, “We Try Harder” (which, by the way, has just been retired! After 50 years!). Yes, this was an advertising line. But what they did was to put the customer in the middle of their marketing efforts to show how strongly they wanted you to go with them instead of the #1 rental company. Does anyone even remember who their bigger competitor was?
One of the more culturally challenging business processes is checking for customer satisfaction. It is all too easy to look for answers that we want, and ignore the undesired ones. Furthermore, if you haven’t set a customer service standard within the entire company, it will be difficult to assess customer satisfaction.
Imagine everyone in your company asserting they’re doing a great job in terms of customer service, yet have different standards for “best practice” and what “customer satisfaction” means. You could even find inconsistencies in monthly reports, and have trouble in getting repeat business.
Sound familiar? Keep reading. Here’s how you can effectively check for customer satisfaction. (more…)
‘Unforgettable’ is such an arbitrary word. Good or bad experiences can be ‘unforgettable.’ They can be glib or profound. They can lead to recommendations (free advertising and more business), or they can be warnings that can kill your brand.
However, in the realm of customer experience, it is easier to work ‘unforgettable’ into their vocabulary, and there’s simply one word you should always remember: surprise.
Surprise cuts through the routine and brings fun to an otherwise boring day. It can make disappointment forgettable. It allows you to create, strengthen, and reward loyalty. Best of all, it gets you talked about.
One of our CEAs is an expert on quality management and had an interesting story to share on Service Quality. He prefers to remain anonymous.
Service Quality is a term that many know but only a few understand the true science behind it. The business environment today is so much more dynamic compared to the days of our baby boomer parents. Today, messages travel across cyber space within a fraction of a millisecond, which means businesses can flourish and can also close out very quickly. The “service” industry is often misclassified as food and beverage-related. Fact is that, any business involved in any form of selling, is considered part of the service industry. This is where the real competition comes to play.
Quite literally, comparing mangoes to mangoes, I buy mangoes from a certain “manang” (old lady) near where we live. Manang’s mangoes cost more than if I were to buy from the closest supermarket. Here is why I choose manang: manang is honest, when the mangoes are not 100% to her liking, she will inform me and present other fruits as options. Manang recognizes me as a person, not just another customer, she knows how I like my mangoes (as a peculiar practice, I like to buy my mangoes free from blemishes, which means they are not completely ripe, more like 98% ripeness). Manang is very knowledgeable about her mangoes and where they come from, the varieties and even serving suggestions! A simple buying experience will turn into a warm and fuzzy feeling — I am a valued customer. Shift in paradigm: now I am at the fancy grade supermarket, the mangoes are blemish-free, the price is 15% less than manang’s mangoes, it is a very convenient location, very comfortable atmosphere, the staff are very courteous and well-groomed. When I asked about the mangoes here, the answer is very corporate, almost as if I am prying into the industry’s secret to ask where those mangoes come from. It is a hit or miss shopping experience. I would rather pay the 15% price premium for manang’s mangoes and be recognized as a valued customer.
Manang has successfully created her own “brand” and a loyal customer base, her mangoes are sold out as soon as she puts them on display. Why businesses neglect the basic fundamentals of customer engagement is beyond my comprehension. As businesses grow and the many tiers of management are created, customer engagement level diminishes.
If you would like to share your customer service story or insights on service, please email us at mystory@satisfind.com.
