Retailers need to think of themselves as service providers and proactively anticipate the needs of their customers, like the best hotels do.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 comes into force at the beginning of October, including changes to the rights consumers have in regard to returns and complaints.
Retailers will be updating terms and conditions to meet these requirements, but I’d argue that doing the bare legal minimum to look after your customers isn’t good enough.
To remain relevant to customers, retailers who want to sell on anything other than price need to think of themselves as service providers.
Once you adopt the service provider mind-set, reactive customer service – however good – isn’t enough; you need to be proactive and anticipate what your customers require.
I’ve recently returned from Hong Kong and had the good fortune to stay at the Mandarin Oriental hotel.
Retailers could learn from the many little touches that amounted to the most fantastic customer experience with staff thinking about what I might need.
Exceptional service
The person who checked me in took me to my room and explained how everything worked.
Shower heads were turned away so I didn’t scald myself or have a coronary when I turned the water on. And a portion of the mirror didn’t steam up when I took a shower.
Every good hotel has a turn down service. But a nice, soft pair of slippers were left by my bed along with some oil to apply to help me sleep.
When I couldn’t get my TV to work, reception said they’d sort it immediately. I returned to find a letter of apology, and the contact details of the person who fixed the TV should I have further problems.
The maid knew my name – in fact everyone in the hotel seemed to know my name. Compare that to our recent research into email marketing, where 33% of retailers didn’t send a welcome message when we signed up to their email programmes.
The hotel put branded cable ties on my charger cables, and there were more sockets than you could ever use.
Light buttons were clearly illuminated when the room was dark.
I finally found someone that can tie my shoelaces… they tied them every night. They folded my clothes.
I’m a gnasher – they put my sweets in a basket.
They put the receipts and business cards I’d been collating in little box.
My checkout was extended – without charge – until 4.30pm as I wasn’t flying until 11pm.
Put customers first
You may think that the rate paid for such a hotel enables it to provide this type of service. I’d disagree.
While there is extra cost in a number of areas, most of the above comes down to common sense, a business that understands what it takes to put customers first and looks at the cost benefit of delivering a great experience.
In all cases staff were well trained and empowered, down to the last minute when both the receptionist and bell boy asked if I’d left anything in the room or in the safe, and that I had my passport.
With this kind of experience in mind, can you afford to only provide adequate customer service when things go wrong, or should you be doing more to make sure that your customers always feel things have gone right?
- Martin Newman is chief executive of Practicology
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