Customer Service
noun
…the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services…
I just came back from a family holiday and I have a newfound respect for the art of customer service. I’ve taken tips away to help me grow my brand. Read on and I’ll tell you about this exceptional service.
I’ve had a variety of customer service experiences, some exceptional and others just downright absurd. As stereotypical as it may sound, some of the worst customer service I’ve ever received has been in Nigeria. I strongly believe that in certain establishments, neither employer nor employee know what it means to serve a customer.
A few months back when I was in Nigeria I was meant to meet up with my uncle to have dinner but he was stuck in a meeting so I had to eat alone. When I arrived at the restaurant I wasn’t greeted at the door so I took myself to an empty table and sat down. I had been seated for 5 minutes before a grim-faced waitress gave me a menu and another 10 minutes before she came back to take my order.
Whilst I was waiting for the waitress, the bartender finally asked for my drink order, like the baby girl that I am I ordered a Moscow Mule, but did it arrive on time? No. I could see the bar because the restaurant was very small and this joker bartender had taken my order and went back to the bar to start using his phone. Error!
As if all that wasn’t bad enough, the owner came out from the back to ‘gist’ very loudly with her friend. What irked me most, is that there were only 4 of us at this hole-in-the-wall restaurant and the customer service was still so poor. The food was amazing but I don’t see myself being a repeat customer because they clearly didn’t value my money or patronage.
I’ve also experienced terrible service right here in London, especially at the nail shops. If you know about this consistently poor service raise your hand (*pause for all to raise both hands*) but that’s a complaint for another day.
On the flipside, my exceptional experience came from the staff of Royal Caribbean International (RCI). My family went on a 7-day Mediterranean Cruise on Navigator of the seas and now I’m a cruise convert.
RCI met expectations I didn’t know I had. The aim throughout the duration of the trip was to minimise the possibility of customer complaints (even though you still get those who will complain regardless).
One evening at dinner, my sister ordered a salmon she found too salty. When the waiter came to ask the obligatory ‘Is everything ok…’, she mentioned the salty salmon very innocently and things suddenly went from 0 to 100. The waiter was very insistent on getting her something else but she refused so he left, only to return with the supervisor who all but said he wasn’t leaving until my sister ordered something else. Like the foodie we are in my household, she ordered a steak and it arrived in less than 5 minutes. I strongly believe they gave her someone else’s order just to ensure she was satisfied.
Another example was when I made a village girl error. On another night at dinner (you can see the pattern with all my examples….) I ordered a starter I did not understand only because it had duck in the name. Turns out it was a pâté which I’m not fond of. After my sister’s experience, I made it a point not to comment. Unbeknownst to me, the waiter overheard me saying I wasn’t going to eat it and brought something else to the table. I was extremely shocked as most waiters would have ignored my comments.
At this point, my dad said something which spurred me to write this blog post, ‘The aim is not customer service, it’s customer delight’. If people can see that the way they deliver service reflects themselves and the company ethos, the overall experience for both customer and service provider would be one to remember.
It is clear to see that RCI employees buy into the mission of the company to delight the customer. Not only do they understand what they should do, they understand why they’re doing it. The waiters are especially trained for this purpose. If you dine at the same time every evening you are likely to get the same table and waiters, because of this you can build a rapport. I never would have expected our waiter to remember my face but I ran into him outside the restaurant and we had a friendly conversation that started with him asking ‘Where were you yesterday I didn’t see you at dinner?’ It made me feel somewhat special.
Other things I observed about RCI is that for them to develop superb customer service, they rewarded their employees consistently with time off when we docked and private activities after hours. Employees also see how good service relates to their futures with the company. Every employee’s name badge also tells you the country they are from, this is a polite conversation starter during your first encounter and because of that I now know how to say thank you in Russian.
RCI has effortlessly created a chain of referrals, one being my mum. Since we arrived, she has not stopped advertising the company to anyone who would listen. I believe she’s convinced a sizeable proportion of our church members to make a cruise with RCI their next holiday.
If I had to complain about something for the sake of complaining, the drive to ensure customer satisfaction was at times overkill, a girl just wants to eat in peace.
RCI have mastered customer service because they understand the need to add value and build relationships.
Will I ever return to this cruise line? Let’s just say I’ve started a fund for my next cruise…I’m thinking the Greek Islands or the Caribbean.
