Even smiling makes my face ache

"Have a nice day"

"Missing you already"

"Thank you please call again"

yuck !!!

Whilst I am a strong advocate of customer service I absolutely hate these formula farewells that some companies force their staff to use.

Nothing makes me cringe more than a spotty youth mouthing some inanity at me because it says he has to in the corporate training manual.

I well remember the training manual for a Pizza company I worked for in my youth, there were three A4 sheets on how to slice a cucumber !!! now whilst I would agree that clear written instructions are a good idea in most cases there is such a thing as going too far.

Ok back to formula farewells.

Why do I object to them so much?

In my last post I gave an example of excellent customer service part of which was the farewell, patently the assistants weren't making up a new farewell for every customer but conversely they weren't simply mouthing a corporate message either.

Now I have no idea whether every assistant was briefed on what to say, whether there is a board in the staff room with suggested phrases or perhaps the store manager handed them out every morning and to me it's unimportant, what's important to me and I guess I'm no different to a lot of people, is that I felt the farewell I got was personal.

People like being treated as individuals, each of us is unique and we're not greatly enamoured of being treated like a robot.

When you think about the times when you've had excellent customer service were they when you were treated like the guy before you and the one behind or was it because you were singled out and treated specially?

Now the managers amongst you will be saying to yourselves I haven't got the money to treat every customer individually and I say to you if you don't you won't.

Great businesses are built up by giving that little bit more, it used to be price but in this age of rising standards of living and increased spending power that's not going to be enough.

Some companies little bit extra is quality, who wouldn't do all their food shopping in M&S if they could afford it? Some companies focus on range, look at B&Q they would be the last to claim their customer service is the best in the business but just look at their range.

So what's yours?

Next time: Two Latte's and an almond Croissant

John Anslow
http://www.service-computers.com/