We flew home with Jet2 last week.
In one of those rows where they need to attach a ‘micro table’. You know the type. Like the ones in lecture theatres, that swing out of the arm rest so you can take notes.
So long as you are taking notes on the back of a postage stamp.
Mine was manky (love that word), so I cleaned it with an anti-bacterial wipe. It’s one of the joys of traveling with Mrs Hepps… there’s always an anti-bac wipe.
When our crew were preparing for landing, our flight attendant removed the tables and cleaned them before they went back into store.
And that set my brain into a flutter.
Should they clean them when they’re put away? Or when they come out?
What do you think?
This was my thought process.
Do it after. Job’s done and it’s better for the next crew. But that only benefits the NEXT customer…
Or…
Do it before. Customer sees how much you care. But the previous don’t get or see that treatment.
Or…
Do it both times. It takes 60 seconds and, as a passenger, I love it!
It’s classic customer service. It costs a little, but means a lot.
What’s your best example of great service that doesn’t cost much, but makes a difference? Please leave your comments below.
I’ll send a copy of my best-selling book 5 Star Service to our favourite.
Be Brilliant!
Michael
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When you walk the customer to their car after a meeting. It shows you are not rushing to your next appointment or emails. That extra two minutes always builds a little extra rapport.
I really love it when cashiers or sales people make eye contact, it shows they are engaging with you fully……nothing worse than being served by Brenda who’s turning round chatting to Wilma about her constipation problems!
When I was younger, we had a brilliant Postman. He was very observant and knew we were away. He noticed that milk had been left. He knocked on our neighbour (handing them the milk bottle) who also had milk delivered, who was able to remind the milk man. Simple, observant, great service!
I bought an e-bike from MiRider. I had only had it for a week when they phoned me to say there was a recall. They could arrange to collect the bike and deliver a brand new bike to me! I was on holiday in Ireland so I couldn’t do that, and I wanted to use my bike! I established that it wasn’t a safety issue and was something quite simple and I decided to carry on using it. They said I could hire a bike and they would pay! As I was travelling around I couldn’t do that either. On my return to England, through Wales, I returned it to Wigan, and collected my new bike. What brilliant customer service! From what other customers have said on Facebook this is how they do things at MiRider. They deserve an award!
Had a problem with a failed extractor fan. This was replaced by a contractor but for some reason then caused the electrical circuit to continually trip out. Contractor readily returned to replace and at the same time to erradicate any potentail future problems installed a ‘brillant’ (both in terms of service and brightness) new LED light ……all without further charge. Guess what …..we will be asking them to do further work !
Many people slate the NHS for its inefficiency and lack of patient care. I have recently undergone many NHS testing appointments, and I can declare that at every appointment, NHS send me reminders, and they ring me to confirm I am attending. This treatment is upheld from a community service with a 1-star rating. That’s what I call progressive good service.
Tommy Heaney has a restaurant in Cardiff.
We booked a table, Nicky, his wife, asked if it was an occasion, yes my son Henri’s birthday.
On arrival we were greeted by Nicky and shown to our table where there was a birthday card for Henri signed by both Tommy and Nicky. Towards the end of our truly excellent meal Tommy came down from the kitchen, wished Henri a happy birthday and chatted to us for a good 10 minutes.
The upshot: we’ve been back 4 times since and are booked again for next week.
I rave about it to my friends and family and at least 10 have eaten there since and raved about it.
Imagine that those 10 friends each tell 10 other friends. That’s a business built on a sound (excellent food) foundation and enhanced so much by brilliant service.
I love it when I buy something online and it comes with a little handwritten note to say thank you for the order, I’m also a sucker for stuff wrapped in tissue paper. Makes the item feel special, makes it feel more luxury. Shows the retailer cares.
A genuine smile and ( if appropriate) a touch on the arm .
Greeting that customer ~ person, paying them a compliment whether that’s on what they’re buying / doing and acknowledging them. Ie customer buying a nice dress, compliment said dress, hazard a guess as to the reason behind it, strike up that conversation and then follow up as they’re leaving with a enjoy yourself night out / holiday/ meal whatever said occasion is. Show that person you CARE and not make them feel it’s just for the payment
I love it when a company you contact by email replies really quickly even though they’ve already let you know there may be a delay. You can get on with whatever you need to do o decide without hanging around in no-man’s land.
Being asked if there is anything else you want / need etc after you have paid the bill, where they are still showing an interest and prepared to add more value to the transaction between you
A no-quibble, postage paid replacement of a broken item.
Towel animals.
My kids go mad for them, we kept a rabbit with my son’s shades on for a WEEK in our cabin on our recent cruise. We had a menagerie. haha.
When living in Spain years ago, I used to visit a cafe called Cafe Murano. Initially, before I’d made friends, I would visit the cafe on my own, and one of the waiters would greet me with ‘Mi princesa!’ (My princess!), as he pulled out a chair for me at the ‘best table’. The gesture made me feel welcome when I was in a new place and alone, and it became a regular haunt!
In Cornwall recently and got invited to interview for 9am the next day. Receptionist kindly printed off my CV and the job description. When I collected it there was a good luck note with the paperwork and she arranged for use of a room with better Internet signal- Awesome service!
We had a leaky loo, our usual plumber spent nearly ten minutes telling me why he couldn’t send anyone to fix for five weeks. Phoned another plumber, left a message and he phoned back eight o’clock at night to say he could come first thing next morning which he did. Fast, efficient and good natured. Guess who will be getting our business in the future.
At the end of each project I clear and clean my workspace: my desk in my office where i write or my worktable in my studio where i create my art. I put away all the things I am finished with, ready to start the next project. How is that a service? It means that my next job is more efficient as I am not constantly looking for things or waiting for amazon to bring me a replacement because it’s quicker than trying to find it!
The use of your name whether formal or informal, eye contact and a smile. To felt listened to, valued and appreciated as a person as well as a customer. Manners cost nothing but create great revenue.
The politeness of holding a door open for someone or picking something up for someone who is struggling to bend down for it
I’ll often put a separate hand written note to a customer with other correspondence; just to say hello or ask how they are keeping.
Anything unprompted tells a customer you care. If a service provider gives an update on where they are in response to a request, that’s great, but if they do that without being asked, it creates the impression of a business that’s organised, efficient and is focussed on you!
well, I dont suppose it matters if they clean them before or after because whenever they do it they arent doing it properly as yours was manky. Either way, in theory, it should be ready for the next customer shouldnt it?
Great customer service – when nothing is too much trouble and its done with a genuine smile and not robotic script reading.
Virgin Atlantic – when my son was stuck at an airport in Mississippi at Christmas during the Covid pandemic and no-one would help him at the airport when his flight was unexpectedly cancelled. The Virgin Atlantic employee who we contacted in the UK asked us for Ben’s mobile number which she rang whilst we were on the phone. She then asked him to hand the phone to flight operator at the airport, tore a strip off them for not helping a frightened teenager and got him on the next flight home. Finished off her call with us telling us not to worry, they would keep in contact with him and ensure he got on the plane….which they did. As a result, we only ever book with Virgin Atlantic whenever we fly to the States.