What Makes A Great Customer Promise!

Data to get your teeth into whets appetite of customer-hungry business operators at 2009 Hospitality Assured service and business excellence forum

The Hospitality Assured Standard requires that a business has a policy that identifies the products and standard of service that it offering its customers including its terms and conditions 

In reviewing your own business, is your promise to your customers clearly articulated? Of course it is, you are a Hospitality Assured accredited organisation or are aspiring to be and therefore you know this is a requirement.  Could the promise be better, perhaps not, but stopping to consider it might just be worthwhile.

Is your promise more akin to a goals or aims which often tend to the vague? There is nothing necessarily wrong with this as many promises start off as aims or goal and evolve into what can be considered SMART promises, what is important is that the detail supporting the headline is clear

Like other objectives a customer promise should be SMART i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timed.

Specific - Be precise about what you are going to achieve.

Measurable - Quantify your objectives.

Achievable - Are you attempting too much?

Realistic - Do you have the resources to make the objective happen (people money, equipment, facilities)?

Timed - State when you will achieve the objective (in the course of a visit)

Here are some customer promises for you to consider in relation to the above- if you can attribute them they are working!

If you can’t they are probably still working for the customers being served but may not be so nationally/internationally focused.

1. “Never knowingly undersold”
2. "The ultimate driving machine”
3. “Quality worth Every Penny”

Our promises to you:

• To deliver professional, efficient and high quality services that meet residents' needs
• To be honest and open, taking responsibility for our actions
• To use customer feedback, comments and complaints to help us improve our services in the future.

Our standards of service:

When you visit us in person, we will:

• Greet you in a polite and friendly manner
• Keep customer wait times to a minimum and advise you of any delay
• Accommodate your request for access and language requirements as best we can
• Provide a private interview room, if needed, where an appointment has been made
• Discuss how we can best respond to your enquiry if you are not able to come to the Civic Centre in person.

When you call us by phone, we will:

• Answer your call as quickly as possible, and within 8 rings if you are calling via our switchboard
• Ask you if you want to speak to someone else, or leave a message, if the person you are calling is not available
• Answer your call in a polite and professional manner

When you write to us or send us an email, we will:

• Confirm we have received your letter or email within 5 working days and aim to reply in full within 10 working days
• Explain why it will take longer, if we cannot reply in full in 10 working days
• Reply in plain, jargon-free English.

Which of these promises is most memorable?

Which of these promises is the best in terms of customer guarantee?

Which is going to be most easily measured?

However your organisation is unique and your promise is likely to reflect that if it is:

Suitable- it will be pertinent to your business eg .if you know you are offering the best value in your sector for a given service or product, you could use a variant on never knowingly undersold perhaps “the best value per delegate conference centre in the county” if you use this type of promise your competitor research will need to be both frequent and comprehensive! If you are providing care services the approach may be completely different. While of course being cost conscious those selecting care may not be attracted by a promise that concentrates on lowest cost and as such will look for something that promotes the highest standards of care.

Memorable- Stew Leonard customer service promise  “Rule 1 The customer is always right, Rule 2 If the customer is not right reread rule number 1”

Assessable Can it be measured? Are you able to measure if you are living up to the promise

Relevant, resonates with staff throughout the organisation and is realistic i.e. it is within the organisation’s capability to deliver?  E.g. Every call will answered on the first ring tone!

Takes into account how it will be communicated to customers new and old?

The Institute of Hospitality customer service promise well that is -“a timely and professional response to every enquiry”

The highest scoring clients to date in 2009 on the customer promise step are  Henley Management Centre and Edinburgh  International Conference Centres

Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC)

The Edinburgh International Conference Centre is Totally Committed To Our Customers; the conference client, the people of Edinburgh, and the employees if the Company.
 
The Quality Of Service starts finishes with the customer.  Our purpose is to delight them.
 
The Company recognises the need for an integrated Quality system to ensure that every job is done right; First Time, On Time, Every Time, and by appropriately trained staff.  This system is subject to a regular process of evaluation and review in order to continually improve the service we offer our customers.
 
The Edinburgh International Conference Centre aims to set a new world-wide standard in Customer Satisfaction.

HENLEY
 
DELIVERING EXCELLENCE

Delivering Excellence to us means getting things right first time, every time.

Understanding your requirements

• We promise an immediate acknowledgement to an event enquiry and within 24 hours in writing.
• Your enquiry and arrangements will be looked after by a professional Event Manager.
• We will provide confirmation of your requirements via a clear and concise contract with easily understood Terms and Conditions of business.

Welcome on the day

• Our Meetings Host will be ready to meet you, run through the day's agenda, arrange any last minute requests and agree message handling procedures.
• The Host will be available for the duration of the event - they will be as discreet or as involved as you want them to be.
• If your Host has to leave the building, then you will be personally introduced to his/her colleague.

The meeting room

• Your meeting room will be set up in the format requested, at least thirty minutes before the time shown on your contract, unless otherwise agreed.
• Your audio-visual equipment will be set up and working as per the contracted time of arrival.
• All meeting rooms are supplied with an internal telephone and a help line number to address your requirements throughout the event.
• All meeting rooms have natural daylight and ergonomically designed chairs and tables.
• All meeting rooms are equipped with notepads, pens and a stationery toolbox.

Food and drink on time

• The service of all food and beverage will commence no later than the time agreed at the morning briefing meeting.
• Menus are creatively designed to provide a choice of hot and cold food with healthy eating options.
• Special dietary requirements will be provided as agreed in advance of the event or at the morning briefing meeting.
• There is an unlimited access to a selection of teas, fresh coffee and fruit juices, available throughout the day, at specified beverage service points.
• As a matter of policy we do not knowingly purchase any food or beverages which contain genetically modified ingredients.

Your accommodation

• We aim to have your bedroom ready for occupation by 1200 on the day of your arrival.
• Bedrooms are ensuite, modern and fully equipped, with ample room to work.

Estates

• Failures or defects likely to cause widespread disruption or injury to people will be dealt with immediately
• Failures or defects, which do not present a serious risk but will cause serious disruption, will be dealt with within 4 hours.
• Normal repairs will be dealt with within 2 hours within standard working hours.
• Statutory regulations are pro-actively observed by all members of staff to ensure a safe working, meeting and leisure environment.
• Wherever possible we follow best practice in terms of the reduction of energy consumption and carbon emissions.
• Wherever practical and economic we follow best practice in terms of recycling waste materials.

After the event

• We promise a follow-up call within three working days to discuss the success of your event and will respond to any points raised within 48 hours.
• Invoices will be accurate, on time and as agreed.
• Our accounts department will contact you within three working days on receipt of any invoice queries.

Climate Care
As part of its endeavours to be a practitioner of sustainable practice, The Business School carries out environmental audits, has a programme of energy reduction in place, produces all its materials in a sustainable way and from the beginning of 2006 has been carbon neutral in all its air travel, paying for its Co² emmissions to support carbon reducing activities across the globe, via the Climate Care organisation.

And finally

• We will contact the event organiser within two working days of the event to capture your feedback to assist us in the future development of our services and facilities.

This is a mega promise and is very measurable!

All of this being said your promise is your promise and if you live up to it you will be satisfying not only the assessors but most importantly your customer!

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