As we celebrated the New Year who would have thought that 2020 would bring so many challenges and changes to the hospitality industry. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the industry evolving and changing at a greater rate than ever before. The service provided to customers, whether face to face, mask to mask, by video screen or by phone has never been more important.
Great customer service has always been important. 95% of consumers say that customer service is important to their choice of brand. Furthermore, research shows that consumers are willing to spend 25% more to do business with companies that deliver excellent service. Yet across most industries, it is a relatively untapped gold mine of value, which companies can use to attract new customers and retain existing ones. A McKinsey study found that U.S. companies actually lose $75 billion a year because of poor customer service.
The annual report by the Institute of Customer Service in the UK published in July found that overall customer satisfaction in the tourism industry has dropped to its lowest level since 2009. This decline was driven by an increase in problems and reduced satisfaction with complaint handling.
Are these new rules – social distancing, face masks and enhanced hygiene regimes – undermining the true meaning of hospitality and the ability to deliver great service? They certainly make it more difficult but you can still make customers feel important and deliver great hospitality through all this. Now is the time to focus on the service basics – and when done well and consistently, this will drive loyalty and profitability for your business.
By refocussing on the basics, teams will adapt to these new circumstances. Investing in people by training and developing them to deliver brilliant service is critical to customer satisfaction and retention.
Here are three tips to deliver great service:
1) Be a brilliant listener and respond effectively
2) Show empathy and be prepared to change your pace during an interaction to build connection
3) Be confident in handling problems – when handled well they lead to loyal customers
Gosh Service Design are Customer Service Gurus. They love helping businesses deliver exceptional and differentiated service which delight customers and increase profitability. The Service Brilliance programme has been awarded Institute of Hospitality endorsement. The course is based upon “best in class” service practices applied in the global hospitality industry, it teaches the fundamental skills to delivering brilliant service. These skills are relevant in every industry where people are at the heart of the business. Service Brilliance is a modular programme which empowers teams with seven essential skills to deliver brilliant service. It can be delivered by a facilitator in-person or through live online sessions. The course can be tailored to each individual business through real examples and relevant role plays.
Institute of Hospitality members can take advantage of a 15% discount on the course fees, with a minimum eight learners per course, delivered on site.
To find out about Service Brilliance training, please email info@goshservice.com and visit www.servicebrilliance.com.
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