Service and Value: Two Things That Go Great Together

By Michael Massey

Service and value. Have you noticed a severe lack in these qualities lately- coupled with no integrity. I'm not advocating that we go back in time to an era where men were men and dungarees (my granfather's term) were 25 cents at Monkey Wards. However, attention to servicing customers and providing MORE than your money's worth would be a welcome change. It's not all doom and gloom however; two companies come to mind that embody service, value and integrity with no expectation of immediate return.

Southwest Airlines is a as a company that lives and breathes it's corporate culture and isn't afraid to make mistakes and expose it to the public through multiple communication channels. In flight magazines, social media and a TV show aptly named Airline share notbonly triumphs, but miss steps as well.

Consumers are accepting of errors in judgment; so long as they are informed promptly and resolved quickly. I had to contact Southwest regarding a true lapse in communication several years ago on a flight out of Chicago. The flight was delayed for hours with no notification as to why. Once we finally boarded, passengers were hostile, aggravated and hungry and the cabin crew provided no explanation. Calling customer service the next day was an oasis in a sea of no answers- not only did I find out what happened (it was a fuel to passenger ratio issue) but I also received a comp ticket without ever being asked. True customer service. Interested in finding out more about how they do it. Pickup a copy of 'Nuts' the story of Southwest Airlines.

Starbucks is another company that goes out of their way to make customers happy. Not crazy about that latte? No problem, we'll make you another one. Sorry about the long wait in the drive through- please accept a FREE drink on us. Every action they take is built to deliver a positive impact on the customer experience. You might be hard pressed to find a barrista that is unhappy.

What can YOU do in your profession or business to bring value and integrity to the table?
1) Take charge of the situation and don't pass the buck
2) Offer a creative solution to a problem
3) Be proactive.
4) Get more face to face time with clients. The digital age makes communication easier and faster. But there's nothing like a sit down conversation.
5) Think about your customer's business and be aware of their challenges
6) It's about THEM, not YOU
7) Be accessible but not on call
8) Read
9) Play
10) Unplug

There's an old saying: treat others the way you would want to be treated. Service and value will flow naturally if you keep that mantra in mind the next time you have to solve an issue or develop an idea.

http://www.southwest.com
http://www.starbucks.com