When you Recieve Great Service, Make Sure it is Acknowledged
by Jan Quintrall, President/CEO, BBB jquintrall@spokane.bbb.org
for the Spokesman Review, 4/18/10
I am a connoisseur of great service and study it with intent while it is happening to me. I savor the experience and use it to teach, educate and measure all kinds of situations. When I find myself on the receiving or witnessing end of excellence, I spend a whole lot of energy analyzing why I am feeling my socks being knocked off.
A few weeks ago over lunch with a colleague, we started talking about that elusive excellence in customer service, and he said the standards have been dropping for years. His theory is that what we now see as exceptional used to be the norm. He thinks Americans have dumbed down service to a point well below mediocre, and just about anything above awful has us awestruck. I think he is wrong.
Masselow’s, the new restaurant in the Northern Quest Casino, has been getting a real positive word of mouth rating since it opened earlier this year. Yes, I consider myself adventurous but not when it comes to new restaurants. I would rather wait for the kinks to get worked out, and then venture out to a new eatery. So wait I did.
We took some friends with us to test the waters. It was one of those special events, and we had a couple of things to celebrate. I had arranged a bottle of champagne to be ready for us when we were seated. I had a lot riding on this being as good as people were telling me it was, and I had my service observer’s hat on; this was new territory!
Food servers can be annoying, you know the type—They interrupt, they hover, and they ask too many questions . Food servers can also be absent; you know that type too—they get the order and they bring the food. End of involvement. Just hope you don’t need a new fork, as you dumped yours on the floor, or a refill on that water.
We all know how to describe bad service, but let me take you to dinner with us and paint a picture of excellence:
• The champagne I pre-ordered sat on the table in a bucket, as all good champagne should, and none of us ever had to touch it. Travis, our server, made sure he was really serving us, without hovering.
• We had questions about the menu as the Salish-based menu is not something we were familiar with and he gave descriptions, suggestions and the philosophy of why that item was offered without making us feel like morons.
• He let us set the level of formality and mirrored our level of humor, involvement with him and capacity for conversation. This trait is what captivated me the most, because it changed as we did throughout our evening.
• The subtle way he sold us on dessert and appetizers was so laid back; we all thought it was our idea.
• He made us comfortable right away by letting us know he could laugh at himself and that he did not know it all. Sometimes formal dining can be off-putting. Not this night!
• Travis also knew when to leave us alone. We have all experienced dinners that make you feel like someone in the back has a stop watch, prodding the server that the table needs to be turned. But we never came close to feeling pushed.
The casual elegance and informal competence at Masselow’s is by design. You can tell they are doing all this by plan, and it is working. Nobody ever walked by our table without looking to see if we needed anything removed, cleaned up or refilled. Service and care of the customer was everyone’s job and we could all feel it.
Is this kind of service really a thing of the past except in special cases? No, I do not think so. I have written in this space of exceptional service many times, and frankly could do so almost each week. But as consumers of service, are we quick to complain, complacent in mediocre events and quiet when we encounter excellence? I hope not, as there is nothing smarter than rewarding good behavior. Make the tip 20%; write the owner or manager when someone knocks your socks off. If you keep your eye out for it, and be specific in what you are rewarding, I just know you’ll see more and more exceptional service!
Spokane's Customers Give Rave Reviews
by Jan Quintrall, President/CEO, BBB jquintrall@spokane.bbb.org
for the Spokesman Review, 4/03/2011
If you really want to know what your customers think, try being one. Sit in your waiting room, stand in your checkout line, walk through your showroom, or schedule a service call. Of course, your staff will know who you are, but the majority of your customers may not. Then simply hang out with the other customers and get them talking. You might be proud of what you hear, or you might be devastated. But you will be more informed.
The last two weeks have placed Spokane in the national spotlight and brought thousands of “customers” into our city as part of the NCAAs, the Pacific Northwest volleyball qualifier and several small conventions. I had the honor of flying out with many of the visiting volleyball teams and back in from Washington DC with NCAA fans. What stories I heard!
According to the Spokane Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau, tourists to Spokane County spend $741 million annually so we should all care deeply about what they think when they leave. That kind of spending is like renting a taxpayer, and reduces each household’s tax burden by $315 each year. Those visitors make our lives easier. They open our eyes; they see promise and possibility, not just potholes.
Tourist dollars reach all area business in one form or another. If you sell directly to those tall women, you see it firsthand. If your customer buys more groceries or adds air conditioning because of the paycheck they get thanks to visitors, you see it too. And that is why we should all care what tourists, meeting attendees and contestants think about our fair city. We want them back and we want them to visit for fun, to bring their friends and to hold more meetings and events here.
What are the visiting “customers” saying about us before arriving and then when they leave?
• People are so friendly and helpful
For individuals who travel to larger cities, the genuine caring of our citizens is almost hard to swallow at first. Some did not believe it until they saw the “let me care for you” attitude across all sorts of industries. They also mentioned how polite we are, though sadly, that is a skill we seem to lose a bit of each day.
• The Spokane River is simply stunning
Wow, thanks Mother Nature for making the water so spectacular during the tournaments! But there are those who live here who have never ventured across the pedestrian bridges in Riverfront Park, and have no idea how inspiring that walk can be. Those who visit us are struck by the beauty, by how clean the water is, and the power of its flow. (Those muddy eastern US rivers seldom roar.)
• Our citizens are great sports fans
On one flight I sat next to an agent for women’s basketball and she mentioned several times how impressed she and her peers were at the level of support in Spokane. We really can go sports crazy, and that creates an excitement other cities wish they could bottle!
• Our facilities are top-notch
The Spokane Arena, the McCarthy Athletic Center on the G.U. campus and the Spokane Convention Center are jewels, but as “locals” we sometimes take them for granted. We should not. I know firsthand what it is like to live in a city without those venues. Ours are well cared for, up-to-date and first class. People notice.
• We have an amazing assortment of great little restaurants
Rest assured, I am not bashing chain restaurants, but anyone who travels more than a bit loves to explore the local offerings and there are cities that have few options. The Spokane area is full of great places to discover. I have a local friend who dines each week at a new place, and has been doing it for years. Just look around, and you’ll find a new favorite all the time.
Last Sunday I walked, as I often do, through Riverfront Park with a friend. The Stanford fans, the NCAA fans and the regular park users were plentiful as was the friendly banter between them. But the best part was watching the obvious visitors look at our city, that river and our people and break into big smiles. If Spokane’s visitors were to adapt the Better Business Bureau grading system of A-F, like a report card in school, it seems our “business” would earn an A. The “customers” are giving positive feedback. And that can only be good news.
Lacking Inspiration? Look at the Numbers
by Jan Quintrall, President/CEO, BBB jquintrall@spokane.bbb.org
for the Spokesman Review, 4/17/2011
Sometimes as I sit down to write this column I struggle with having too many things to say, or too much inspiration. Today, in the sunshine in my office, I am under-inspired. Spring fever maybe? Since I don’t have three columns in progress in my head, today I turned to the BBB statistics from our service area (Eastern Washington, North Idaho and Montana.) What does our data comparing 2010’s first quarter to 2011’s first quarter indicate that people are considering buying? Are those seeking business reviews on local companies increasing in numbers as the economy improves? And, is there a change in the most asked-about industries? These statistics always inspire me, and this time they also cheered me!
Q1, 2010, we delivered 70,673 business ratings compared to Q1, 2011, at 104,835. Wow, that is great news! What this shows is people are beginning the research before they spend money. That’s good for all of us. This is a 48% increase in pre-purchase research. Google has sure changed the BBB world, directing more and more people to our business ratings than ever. When you Google “Roofers, Spokane” you will see the list of BBB Accredited Businesses in the top search results. An increase this substantial is also an indicator that people are getting ready to make thoughtful, well-researched purchases.
General Contracting is the number one asked-about industry on both our 2010 and 2011 lists. Despite the major downturn in construction, projects still go on, and research into who to hire continues to climb. There are a number of municipalities who use BBB Business Reviews as part of their pre-bid award screening. . Smart use of taxpayer money!
In 2011 Collection Agencies are number two for inquiries and they were not even in the top 25 last year. I have a theory on why; many people who never had to deal with collection agencies in the past have suffered income losses and companies who never had to turn over accounts before are also struggling due to the economy. Number three on both the complaints and the inquiries list is New Car Dealers and the news from that industry continues to improve. I am still dismayed at the number of buyers who call us after the fact, when they are already in a bad situation with a company that has earned an F with the BBB. It is so easy to check bbb.org before picking your dealer.
Tax consultants dropped from two to four on the 2011 list With so many changes brought on by income reductions , many people dipped into (401Ks) and then found themselves in trouble tax-wise. Financial planners/consultants took a jump for the same reason. Other industries in the top 10 both years include Used Car Dealers, Electronic Equipment Dealers, Roofers, and Banks.
Credit and Debt Consultants moved down from four to sixteen in 2011 and that is more good news. If your income saw such upheaval that it moved you to seek credit counseling, that is not a good sign for the economy. But, aligning with a good, holistic credit counseling service will teach you budgeting and responsible spending lessons that will serve you for the rest of your. life. That is the silver lining in taking this step to get control of your financial situation.
As the BBB continues to enhance the services provided to those researching where to spend money, these numbers will continue to grow. We recently added a new feature on www.bbb.org that allows you to click and request a quote from any BBB Accredited Business. And people are using it! The increase in quote requests is well over 500% and growing. We too keep looking for ways to make it easy to make good choices. Use our website as one of your tools.
The best part of the statistics is that while our delivery of business ratings grows, our complaints are staying about level. Why? I have always said if people did more checking first, they would use the ethical, caring companies, and stay away from those who get the majority of the complaints. And I think I am right!
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