As we celebrate her platinum jubilee, we recognise Her Majesty’s 70 years of service; fulfilling the commitment she made on her 21st birthday, nearly five years before she became Queen. She said: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service”. There is no doubt that despite all the challenges she has faced, the Queen has excelled when it comes to service.
So how can you define service and what does it mean to us in business. Of course, it will undoubtedly mean different things to all of us, but for me, service means going above and beyond to build trust and long-term valued business relationships with our customers.
How often do we hear the slogan “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do” and wonder how true it really is?
This phrase has become such a cliché because words are so much easier than actions. In my article last quarter, I talked about reputation and it’s clear that more often than not, your reputation will be dictated by how good your service is.
When I consider what the Queen said on her 21st birthday I’m reminded of this quote by Marian Wright Edelman, the American activist for civil rights and children's rights.
They are also publicly talking about their experiences more than ever before on social media, which means we need to be aware of how we are perceived. So much customer service comes from the way we communicate with our customers.
When I’m helping my clients with their corporate communication, I like to understand their customers’ journey. Unfortunately, way too often I find their interaction is bogged down by process, resulting in slow and generic communication. I introduce them to my concept of Personalised Communication, which is a powerful tool that ensures their customers feel they are being treated as individuals. I help my clients understand their customers’ pain points so they can come up with the right and personalised solutions – now that’s service.
So, as we celebrate Her Majesty's incredible service over the last 70 years, we probably all need to ask ourselves if we are paying lip service to the concept of service, or are we really going above and beyond to look after our clients and customers?
Comments