The other day I went to get a few printouts from at a shop located at the one of the streets in North Dublin. I paid an ‘x’ amount. The amiable guy at the counter asked whether I need to get the copies stapled. I said ”yes’. He did that. Then I asked him for a bag to carry the pages. He obliged me with a paper bag. He didn’t charge any money for these services. He also added a smile. I was happy.
Once again on another day I needed printouts. Obviously I went to the same shop. I realised I was late and the shop had already closed. Then I walked up to another shop located just a few blocks away. The experience goes like this…
The man at the counter had no smile for me. He charged me double the amount for the same work. He handed over loose printed sheets to me. On being asked for a bag he handed over a flimsy plastic folder to me and charged 50 cents for that.
C’mon fellas.. it doesn’t hurt to check and compare the rates and smiles !
Yesterday while walking in the rain and strong winds, my umbrella blew in the wind direction. It was crazy and I laughed like crazy. At that time a teenager was walking alongside. He also started laughing. It was all laughter. Yet my fingers were numb due to the cold weather and icy wind. I was struggling with my umbrella while trying to straighten it. And then I saw the same youngster coming towards me. He was still laughing. He took my umbrella and pointed it along with the wind direction and the umbrella looked like an umbrella once again. He again laughed while I thanked him. I was thankful indeed. This small incident filled my heart with warmth for the people of this beautiful country.
Problems occur when the right hand doesn’t know what the left arm has done or is doing. And that hits customer service the most. I have two examples to quote here from my recent experiences.
Firstly, a well known investment firm’s representatives tried to sell some investment advice to me. I listened quietly and feigned ignorance about the matters of money making strategies. This emboldened the salesperson and he started giving me exaggerated figures, so much so, that he calculated the principal as the taxable amount instead of the interest earned through investment. I guess he wanted to scare me. 🙂 I realised that he had indeed become ambitious and certain about acquiring a new client. I curiously asked if they conduct training for investors through some experts. Very willingly he talked about an upcoming training for investors in the area that I live. I thought of exploring the network by attending a training programme. With hope for getting some business out of me he immediately enrolled me online for the said training programme, which interestingly did not happen on the dates promised by him. His organisation’s training and development department totally kind of disowned him and refused to acknowledge his promise. It is an extremely bad example of a complete lack of coordination, greed and insincerity.
Secondly, the hospitality industry in India has indeed come a long way when it comes to customer service. For example, I stayed in a couple of two-tier cities’ hotels. Both were indeed exemplary and stellar in their service to the guests. Each guest is treated as special by them and that is the way to survive and grow in this highly competitive field.
Ensuring better coordination among the staff is the management’s job and to the highly discerning customers of today, it shows and when it shows it benefits the organisation. So, how to achieve that excellence is a challenge. To be continued…
Deepsh27 