Posts tagged ‘customer service’
This is your player calling
I was at my sister’s house last night and the phone rang for her Other Half. Its was Leeds Centurions, aka Leeds Tykes, the local rugby union side.
They were ringing to remind him to renew his season ticket, with the usual ‘book early and get three free games’ type incentives. But there was an extra hook, one of the injured players was making the call. As I understand it, this guy had been off injured for a while so they’d transferred him into the marketing team and he was spending his evenings drumming up season ticket business.
Of course my sister’s other half was thrilled to chat to the player and happy to renew his season ticket there and then. But it got me thinking – can you imagine Michael Owen manning the phones for Newcastle United?
GrrrNER
Just got back from another two day expedition by train. It strikes me that the train companies seem to have forgotten that they’re providing a (very pricey) service. On the way down, a GNER conductor laid into the woman behind us for getting on a train going in the right direction, but not stopping at her station, while implying that she was trying to cheat and simultaneously calling her stupid. This respectable middle aged lady was left very embarrassed and close to tears by a man who could have handled the situation a hundred times better.
On another train (from another train company) we saw a charmingly named Revenue Protection Officer doing his rounds – but having checked it out on google, it turns out that they’re on commission for picking up people travelling without a valid fare, rather like traffic wardens (and we all know how helpful they can be…).
Add to that the general grubbiness of most of the trains and the dearth of decent places to get something to eat (M&S Simply Food can’t roll out fast enough for me) and you have an experience that is only marginally preferable to sitting on the M1 in a traffic jam on a Friday afternoon. Come on guys, get your act together. And does anyone know somewhere close to Peterborough station that serves edible food?
Great customer service isn’t difficult – even if you mess up
I have a horse with a bad back – its a long story which I won’t bore you with. The upshot was that I had to call out the equine physiotherapist. On her second visit she turned up an hour late, which wouldn’t have been so bad, except it was January and minus several degrees outside so by the time she arrived I couldn’t feel my toes.
She apologised for her lateness (I may have looked a tad miffed), did a great job treating my horse and I thought that was it until today when an envelope turned up in the mail. It was a handwritten card (bonus points for having horses on the front) apologising for being late and enclosing a substantial gift voucher for the local saddlers.
I’ve waited before for late gas men, painters, deliveries and even blacksmiths but no-one has ever bothered to apologise in this way. Can you imagine? Dear Madam, we’re very sorry that we turned up an hour late, please find enclosed a Habitat voucher. Yours, British Gas.
I know it isn’t a cheap way of apologising, but in terms of the customer loyalty and positive word of mouth it would generate (the whole livery yard is going to hear about this), its priceless.
Smiling Voices
Kathy Sierra has posted on Creating Passionate Users about little things that make her smile. On a GNER train down to London this week, the on-board announcement at 3pmish ran:
“we’re now serving lunch…or dinner if you want to call it that…anyway, if you want a lovely meal, please come and join us…”.
Natural, warm, honest and proud. Perhaps not entirely reflective of GNER’s brand values, but all the better for it.
