Most Important Service Traits?

Recently, I was asked by a client if I've seen any trend of "must have" traits for hiring employees to give superior service that transcends industries/international cultures.  After working with dozens of best-in-class service organizations in 49 countries around the world, I believe I've identified the most important - all of which are non-negotiable in order to achieve an extraordinary service experience:

1. Awareness of others.  Until someone has the ability to get beyond their own self-absorbed interests, they will never be able to effective engage customers - or their team.  Being able to truly understand another's perspective is mandatory to be successful in any service-related position - especially if you hope to exceed those expectations.  The field of Emotional Intelligence is founded on the awareness of & ability to connect with others.
2. Consideration of others.  More than simply being aware of them, being considerate also involves caring about the well-being of others and desiring to help them in whatever way matters most to them.  Compassion, kindness, and valuing others are what set the stage for this trait.
3. Bias for action.  Internal thoughts merely create academic concepts or theoretical strategy.  Unless there are behaviors that implement the service ideas, there will be no tangible results.  Legitimate service requires interaction...with ACTION being the key part of that word.

Coincidentally, they are also the key traits for leadership excellence, in my opinion, since great leaders - and their organizations - succeed by serving their "internal customers" (employees).

I've often shared with my teams at Disney and the FAA that the simplest guidance I could think of for great service was "Be aware & care" - the intent being to be aware of yourself, those around you, your environment, etc. and then care enough to take action and do something about improving the experience.   

So, whether you are considering hiring a new employee or promoting someone into a leadership position, ask yourself how they rate regarding these critical traits - or you (and your customers/business results) will suffer the natural consequences...which will likely be painful for your people, your organization, and you.

Think about it.  But more importantly, do something about it...today!

It's Showtime...At The Oil Change Garage?!

Have you ever gone someplace and had an experience that was so unexpectedly enjoyable, you couldn't wait to tell people about it?

That's exactly the kind of response you want consistently from your customers.

What is required to create this kind of experience?  Exceed expectations with pleasant surprises.

I just had such an experience at, of all places, an oil change garage! 

So, what is the typical expectation when getting your oil changed at a garage?  That oily/dirty garage workers drain the old oil and fill new oil into your car correctly for a fair price. That they are competent and efficient.  Pretty simple, right?

I just bought a used car and wanted to get the fluids changed.  I decided to go to the same place noted by the previous oil change sticker in the window.  I had never been to a Valvoline Express Care station, but thought they might be able to provide some additional insight about the maintenance history of my car.

When I arrived, I had the typical expectations.  However, they were radically exceeded from the moment I drove into the parking lot.  Here's what my experience was like: 

An attendant walked out to warmly greet me as I began to park in a parking space - urging me to pull directly into the repair bay.  He and the rest of the team were dressed in a clean/professional uniform.  He guided me into the bay and they began a non-stop banter and flow of information.  It was more like Seattle's Pike Street Fish Market (Google it) than any auto garage I've ever seen.  Shouts of "Showtime, Bay Three!", "Electric a go!", "Thank you, sir!" reverberated across the garage as four separate specialists rushed around conducting a full diagnostic of lights/signals and other fluids prior to changing my oil.  They brought up my car in their computer system (next to my car), shared the extensive service history, and provided insights about the options for service now and in the future.  They provided a full-service oil change with all the bells and whistles (including payment and receipt) without me having to get out of my car. 

In less than 9 minutes.

Yes, I was impressed.  But even though it cost a few dollars more, it was way more than worth it.

And plenty of other people know about them now.  I'm now an unpaid promoter for Valvoline Express Care.  All because they spent the effort on things that didn't cost any extra to provide buzz-worthy service.

So, what low/no cost things can you do to create a "Showtime" experience for your customers...and get them buzzing?

Think about it.  But more importantly, do something about it...today!

Prove That You Care

While working with a client group recently, one of the partners of the firm said something memorable while we were discussing family.  He said "You are only as happy as your unhappiest child".  This is a profound comment - indicating that when you truly care about the well-being of someone important in your life, then you aren't satisfied until they are healthy and happy.

I also believe this applies to business.

Think about your employees or your customers.  Are they all healthy and happy?  What is their quality of life?  Are you satisfied?  If not, are you doing anything to help them be healthier/happier?

Our inner values leak out as external behaviors.  If you genuinely value someone else's well-being, people around you will notice - because you will talk about it and you will make DOING something about it a priority.

Do you legitimately care about the health and happiness of your external customers?  (You should!  The future of your business depends on it!)  If so, you must ensure that they are taken care of...by your employees! 

You are modeling behaviors for your employees.  They will treat customers outside your company patterned after how they are treated internally.  So, what would others say about your level of care for your employees?  Are you truly invested in helping them maintain a sustainable level of health and happiness? 

Saying you care is easy - and not worth much.  The real (and strategic) test of whether or not you have integrity is how you demonstrate (in other words, prove!) your true commitments.

People are watching.  And your business results are hanging in the balance.

Think about it.  But more importantly, do something about it...today!