Customer service

For those of you who've followed my tweets this week, the topic will come as no surprise.

The week started well - Monday evening's speed networking at the Business Club was good fun, as well as useful followed by Tuesday's "Delivering Excellent Service" Workshop; first in a series for a large professional services firm. Customer service isn't about rocket science, and the core theme of the day was communication - improving communication between levels of staff, departments and offices in order to provide better service to the clients. From a starting point where there are few complaints and issues and a desire to tweak where necessary, all 19 participants went away with individual actions as well as suggestions for the teams they work in.

Needless to say, at some point in the workshop, discussion turned to examples of good, excellent and poor service and I had no qualms in telling my stories. It's amazing that, no matter where or when I run workshops on a similar line, there are always more stories of poor service than good or excellent examples.

So, I've decided we need some awards. This week's prize for worst service goes to Evans Halshaw, Borehamwood (as it has for a number of weeks / months now). Poor service, absolutely no communication between themselves or to us, new manager who was supposed to solve everything now taken another 6 weeks to still not get it done.

Rather nicely, my faith was restored just yesterday at Tesco Extra in Borehamwood, clothing department; great service and a smile. It was only a pair of school trousers, somewhat less than the value of the car, but no quibbles.

If you'd like to help your staff turn what is likely to be good service into excellent service, get in touch .... And, if you have nominations for your worst customer service experience as well as nominations for great service, feel free to add them below.

Contact sue@suecohen.co.uk

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