I keep in mind as soon as stepping off a transatlantic flight, nonetheless reeling from the rictus grins and infinite refills of lukewarm espresso provided to me by the BA cabin crew, solely to be greeted by a sea of disapproving faces at Heathrow.
My sin? Probably present, or perhaps simply attempting to queue for passport management within the fallacious lane. The ethical of the story? There’s no scarcity of how the British could make you are feeling you shouldn’t have bothered, particularly once you’re accustomed to the virtually comical “Have a great day!” one will get within the States.
However right here’s the rub: customer support issues. It actually, actually does. It issues not simply because it provides your purchasers a direct sense of whether or not you really care about their customized, however as a result of in a world the place firms are jostling like punch-drunk boxers in a hoop, being that little bit friendlier may be the distinction between an uppercut that flooring the competitor or being left, dazed and drooling, as your potential buyer wanders off to the chap subsequent door.
In fact, we British wish to say we’re well mannered. We queue, we mutter “thank you” when receiving brief change from a bus driver, and we gush “so sorry” when a stranger treads on our foot. However politeness and customer support aren’t similar twins. One’s a proper courtesy – that benign acceptance of a neighbour’s savage new hedge sculpture, or a boring relative’s account of their bunions – whereas the opposite is a extra deliberate, structured strategy to treating prospects effectively. Precise, real, useful niceness. That is the place we wrestle.
Let’s be sincere about it: American companies, from the smallest diner in Boise, Idaho, to the glitzy mega-stores of Manhattan, usually do it higher. They’ve a technique – a downright formulation. You enter a store and somebody greets you. They smile broadly (all enamel, no cynicism), ask you the way you’re doing, and inquire if they’ll help you. Typically it’s syrupy, generally a bit pressured, however by and huge, you stroll out feeling a tad higher, or at the least not responsible that you simply darkened their door. Distinction that with the traditional British “You all right there?” half-delivered from behind a stack of paperwork, whereas the assistant pointedly ignores the existential ache creeping throughout your face since you simply need to discover a measurement 10 in that jacket.
That’s to not say your complete British retail sector is manned by glowering gargoyles. There are stellar examples of marvellous customer support within the UK – the unbiased bookshop with workers who’ll advocate precisely the novel you didn’t know you needed; the wine service provider who’ll steer you away from the half-priced Aussie plonk and reward you with a gem for the weekend banquet. However these shining examples too usually really feel like pleasant anomalies, relatively than the norm. And that’s an issue. Why? As a result of in a globalised market, individuals discover. They speak. They tweet. They Instagram. They do every part in need of hiring an plane trailing a banner that claims “Sally’s Shoe Shop in Sloane Square is dire,” and that may critically damage your backside line.
So, why is it so vital to enhance customer support in British enterprise? For one, consistency builds belief. If you understand that each time you pop into a specific café you’ll be handled like an precise human being – with a smile, a splash of heat, and a readiness to make things better in the event that they go awry – you’re much more more likely to come again. Then there’s loyalty. Folks need to spend their cash the place they really feel valued. Who knew it could be so radical to make prospects really feel appreciated for shelling out their hard-earned wages?
One more reason is model picture. Slick advertising campaigns and shiny brochures would possibly lure individuals in as soon as, however it’s the in-store or on-the-phone interactions that cement their lasting impression. In an period when every part’s only a fast Google search away, you’ll be able to make certain that if somebody’s had a rotten expertise, they’ll brandish their smartphone and pen a scathing assessment earlier than you’ll be able to say, “I’m sorry, how can I make it right?” Fame, because the outdated cliché goes, is every part.
Now, let’s speak concerning the sensible aspect. Is it actually that onerous to be good to individuals who need to provide you with cash? Is it that exhausting, that soul-destroying, to say, “Good morning, how can I help?” or “Have a lovely day”? Perhaps the worry lies within the perceived American-ness of all of it – that ultra-chirpy, grinning-from-ear-to-ear strategy that may, admittedly, grate on British nerves. But there’s no have to go full Disneyland – nobody’s suggesting you fling confetti at prospects as they stroll in. However a baseline of real pleasantness? That shouldn’t be such an ordeal.
Coaching is essential. Spend money on it. Correct induction for brand spanking new workers, the place they study not simply product data however easy methods to have interaction with prospects in a pleasant, attentive method, taking note of element and following up promptly. Train them to hear – actually hear – as a result of there’s nothing extra infuriating than explaining your predicament in meticulous element, solely to be met with a clean stare that claims, “I stopped listening ten minutes ago.”
And right here’s a radical notion: empower workers. Give them permission to repair issues on the spot without having to seek the advice of seven totally different managers or, worse, a name centre in a special time zone. Prospects love a fast decision; it proves you worth their time and need to make issues proper. And guess what? When workers really feel valued and trusted themselves, they have an inclination to move that good vitality alongside to the purchasers.
Briefly, British companies may study a factor or two from the Yanks about consistency and cheer. We’ve got it in us to be the perfect hosts on the planet – we’re the land of charming tea outlets and faultless B&Bs, in spite of everything. So maybe it’s time we channel that famed hospitality into mainstream enterprise tradition. Let’s banish the scowl behind the counter, the resigned sigh on the telephone, and lift a swift cup of (completely brewed) tea to the notion that being nice pays dividends. It’s not that onerous. So let’s do it. And let’s take pleasure in the advantages that include delivering high quality service: repeat enterprise, glowing opinions, and the distinctly satisfying data that we’d simply be giving our American cousins a run for his or her cash. Cheers to that.
