In the last couple of weeks, I have experienced two very contrasting approaches to service recovery or complaint handling and find it fascinating that the way in which the issues were handled were so completely different. Usually, making comparisons is about identifying some differences within a structure that is basically the same or similar, whereas in the examples I am sharing here, I think you will agree that such a comparison is impossible because the two approaches are as different as night and day. In the interest of time and to remove my personal opinion/bias I have listed a chronology of events for each situation:

Recently, I took a courtesy bus from the railway station to a client office and during the journey, the driver whistled “Summertime”.  This happens to be one of my favourite tunes and he whistled very well so it was a really enjoyable experience.  When the bus stopped, I said “thankyou” and he wished me a good day in a genuinely warm way.  I also noticed that he was immaculately groomed and very smartly dressed.

Values at Heart 2018

Research shows that people who are clear about their own personal values are happier and more fulfilled and up to 17% more engaged at work than people who do not have that clarity ¹. For the first two weeks of February 2018, you can take a special ‘Values at Heart’ profile, courtesy of www.magmaeffect.com and use my31Practices to release the power of these values every day. You can sign up yourself or with friends… or, if you are an employer, encourage your employees to take part to show your organisation cares about what matters to them.

Values often appear in organizations’ annual reports and may even be in a frame on the boardroom wall but how they are brought to life in day to day behaviour is less well understood.  This is just one comment from the fascinating discussion thread on LinkedIn at http://lnkd.in/pkVVSP

Organisations invest time and money in articulating their values so must consider that they are important yet very few individuals seem to do the same. Why is this?

This question was considered by over two hundred professionals and academics last month in a Harvard Business Review group discussion on LinkedIn which covered a multitude of surrounding issues and opinions.  Thank you to everybody that contributed and to Lucy Williams (http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/lucy-ann-williams/34/56a/62a) who produced this summary.

“If it weren’t for us, you’d be working in a feckin’ field” was comedian Dara O’Briain succinct definition at the industry body’s (BIFM) own annual dinner a couple of years ago.

“Proud” is Heather Small’s signature song with which she achieved international success and it was a thrill to meet somebody whose voice makes my spine tingle at this month’s UK Customer Experience and Customer Service training Awards www.uk-ce-awards.co.uk/.

The holiday season is a great time to take time to relax with family and enjoy new experiences.  From a work perspective it is a valuable time to recharge the batteries and refresh thinking to return to with a renewed sense of purpose and energy….but, personally, it is also a time to be tuned in to organisations and their SERVICEBRAND.

Although corporate offices and hotels are both built environments providing a very similar range of services to customers, there are some fundamental differences in the way in which the provision of this service is organised.

Cast your mind back to the summer and a holiday or trip you may have enjoyed.  Consider what stays with you in the way of a memory and you will probably realise that, rather than the sights or facilities, some of the strongest memories are of interactions with people.

Here is an article featuring a family weekend away to explore this area further.