He’s Back

For better or for worse, I’m back to the blog.  I’m sure there are some who are groaning at the news (“Why do I read this guy?”), and hopefully some who looked forward to my return.  Well, it’s happened.

August was a busy month with lots of visitors, mostly family.  This was followed by clean-up and general collapse.  Last week, my wife and I got away for a few days to a resort hotel in south-eastern Ontario.  We had a great time, with good food, nice accommodations and great service.

It was the great service that got me thinking.  Everywhere we went that week, the service was helpful, friendly and prompt.  It really made the vacation much better.  But having said that, why are we surprised when we get good service?  Why does it stand out so much from the service that we seem to get day to day?  Now you can understand that at a resort hotel and community, good service is important to their businesses.  But why does it not seem to be important at other businesses?  Now, I live in Ottawa, which may or may not be different from other cities in this regard, but I don’t think so.  I’ve been in many other cities where good service seems to stand out.

What constitutes good service? 

Friendliness is a good start.  It starts with a pleasant demeanor rather than an attitude that the server is somehow doing you, the customer, a favour for even serving you.  On the other hand, overdoing the gushy attitude can also be a turn-off.  Please don’t tell me all of the problems you’re having with your boyfriend.  I can’t solve them.  Just be pleasant and serve with a smile.

Obviously, helpfulness is another major contributor to good service.  It’s one thing to be nice, but if you can’t be of any help to the customer, it really doesn’t do any good.  Helpfulness starts with knowing the product or service you’re providing.  I can remember car salesmen, for example, who knew all about the latest “deal”, but had no idea about the car they were trying to sell.  Or how about the sales clerk who doesn’t know the answer to your question and won’t bother to find someone who would know.   In that case, please don’t try to “fake” the answer.  You could get you and your company in trouble.

I’m a fairly patient person, particularly as I get older.  But sometimes my patience runs thin when I have to wait endlessly for service.  You’ve been there when the waitress or bartender is so busy talking to others that they don’t even acknowledge your presence.  A simple “I’ll be with you in a minute,” would make the customer feel that he is recognized. Then there is the situation when the sales person serving you disappears for extended periods with no explanation.  Promptness doesn’t mean that everything has to be rushed; only that things happen in a reasonable time. 

Those three things, in my books, constitute good service.  Why do we put up with anything less?  Why do we dutifully pay the 15% gratuity for the waiter’s bad service?  Why don’t we ever complain to the server or his management about bad service?  Is it because we don’t think we could do any better?  Or are we just apathetic, willing to put up with any type of service? 

Of course there is another side to this situation.  Are you a good customer?  Do you display a negative attitude to sales persons?  Do you treat waitresses like they are beneath you?  Are you excessively demanding even when there is no need to be?  You attitude could, and often does, make all the difference in the service experience you receive.  Good manners and good service usually go hand in hand.  A simple smile and a good morning usually is enough to set the right tone.  Try it the next time you want service.  It works for me.