Much is being written in the 90s about improving customer service as a key to future success. Yet, we continue to see organizations that talk good service but don’t seem to be getting through to their employees about how to provide it.

Here are some suggestions on how to open communications with your guests on improving customer service & then what to do, how to make it happen:

Take steps to insure that employees get the word about specials you’re offering or promotions you’re running. It’s embarrassing when customers know more about what your company is doing than your employees do. Make this a top internal marketing priority.

Provide training for all employees who will deal with the public. Frequently, a well-meaning but untrained employee will turn off a guest with a legitimate complaint by not knowing how to handle the situation....or who to refer it to. Strive to convey the spirit of customer service that you want.

Provide telephone training for for anyone who might be required to answer the phone.

Set a standard on how long people are kept on hold when they call. People get more upset the longer than have to wait.

Train employees to look for questions & concerns from guests about your products, service so that something can be done to correct those problems.

Example: A patron calls your business to tell of a problem with they encountered. The polite response might be to send the person a free admission coupon to make him feel good.

However, if we don’t make a note of the incident & bring the problem to a discussion, look for solutions, we're just prolonging the situation, upsetting more guests, costing us more money.

Some other thoughts:

Follow the example of big companies & alert your people to let you know what your guests don't like. Make it OK for employees to tell you about problems. You can also use focus groups & guest surveys.

Establish keys to superior customer service. Encourage a spirit of "We’ll do whatever it takes to please our guests."

Change the organization to focus on the guest. Schedule staff in a way that is set up to meet guest service standards.

Remember: Labor is a means of creating sales, not just a number or % you try & meet just to please your accountant.

Communicate the commitment of top mgt. to customer service. Set an example for the employees by instructing each manager & department head to talk to guests each day & solicit their feedback on how to improve customer service.