| Being unable to see their business through customers' | | | | McLaughlin sets out a test for business owners: He |
| eyes loses more business than the recession. So says | | | | invites them and their staff to write down the number |
| Michael McLaughlin, for twenty-years a business | | | | of services they no longer support, not because their |
| vetting manager for the Guild of Master Craftsmen. | | | | products are inferior but because their service has left |
| The biggest haemorrhage of client assets is the loss | | | | them disappointed. He says he can think of a dozen; a |
| of goodwill caused by badly trained or de-motivated | | | | high proportion being restaurants, though interestingly |
| staff. | | | | Chinese eateries invariably score high marks. |
| As fast as service providers generate business | | | | The main complaints are incompetent, inattentive, or |
| through imaginative cost effective marketing, they lose | | | | surly waiting on staff; a shoulder shrugging indifference |
| it because of poor staff training and sheer bad | | | | to meals delivered late or badly cooked, poor value for |
| management. The average customer can reel off a | | | | money, and a lack of entertainment. Other offenders |
| dozen businesses they no longer frequent. When | | | | are town hall and local authority administrative |
| asked why they reveal that they have been offended | | | | departments. He says they should remember their |
| by poor customer service. It is the self-inflicted | | | | monopoly, which leaves the consumer without |
| recession that never goes away. | | | | alternative choice, does not justify poor customer |
| American Best Practice | | | | service. If their salaries are sourced from their |
| The chairman of an American car making giant was | | | | customers' bank accounts then they have a duty to |
| the first to see the light. He couldn't understand why his | | | | work to the highest standards of customer service. |
| Far Eastern competitors were outselling his company's | | | | Customer dissatisfaction is often expressed when |
| equally good products. Delegating members of his | | | | dealing with reception staff; hotels, and airport |
| staff as pretend customers he sent them to his firm's | | | | attendants. Medical centre staff come in for a great |
| dealerships; and to his rivals' outlets. | | | | deal of criticism. Often the customer is patronised; |
| When they reported back he was shocked by the | | | | empathy is non-existent; they are made to feel not |
| culture of complacency in his own firm's showrooms | | | | only unwanted but a nuisance. A minimum of |
| when compared with the customer-friendly 'can do' | | | | information is offered leading to administrative errors, |
| response of his Japanese and South Korean | | | | unnecessary delays, customer irritation; all of which |
| competitors. Setting up a department of mystery | | | | combine to reduce job satisfaction. Everyone loses. |
| shoppers, their brief was to identify poor service | | | | The former quality assessment expert says business |
| judged from the customer's perspective. He aimed to | | | | owners can help build and retain custom by inviting |
| identify the causes of his clients' dissatisfaction, and to | | | | friends, unknown to staff, to give their honest opinion |
| address them, before his customers defected to the | | | | after clandestinely using their services. He says; "By all |
| competition. | | | | means tell the staff of your intentions. In my |
| He added a complaints department that actually | | | | experience they respond well when they are involved |
| listened to customers, acted on their complaints; | | | | without threat but offered rewards for helping to build |
| identified and dealt with problems so they didn't recur. | | | | a customer base and add to their shopping |
| The head of another corporation said: 'Today there | | | | experience. "Business owners," he adds, "should heed |
| isn't much difference in products; it is service that | | | | the wise words of the Scottish poet, Robbie Burns: |
| counts.' | | | | "The greatest gift that God can give us is to see |
| The Good Business Test | | | | ourselves as others see us. |