How many times recently have you heard "we can't do that, because of Covid"? Many I'm sure, but is it still ok to be a reason?
Covid hasn't gone away and there seems little sign that it's going to any time soon, but we've been living with it now for well over 18 months. So why do we still hear cries of "we can't"?
There's no doubt that some industries are facing multiple challenges, not least the combination of Brexit and Covid, and should be totally forgiven for the compromises they're having to make as a result. But that isn't actually stopping them delivering good customer service.
So why, for others, can they not clean a hotel room "because of Covid" or greet customers with warmth "because of Covid"? There are probably very good reasons, but if you are providing a service you have to put the customer first and consider the impact of your response to their ask.
Covid isn't an excuse for poor service. It's definitely a reason for not delivering the standards you might normally strive for, but it can't be a go-to explanation for letting customers down.
If you can't deliver the level of service you would usually expect, how can you manage the impact of that? Where are the compromises? This is classic service recovery when something goes wrong.
For example, should you choose to offer no housekeeping during a three-day hotel stay, or to instead offer it once during a stay and ensure the customer also has a free glass of wine or breakfast to say thank you for their understanding ? Should you leave your restaurant customer sitting waiting to be served because you're short-staffed, or do you greet them warmly, tell them there will be some delay and give them a free glass of Prosecco or cup of coffee while they relax with their friends? Yes there's a link to profit margins, but if you get that customer to return as a result of your service then it's a good investment.
So many places get this right, often in the face of rude customers who expect the world. So if it's not that difficult, why do so many others get it completely wrong?
I suspect it's because those that do it well always did it well. They understood the fundamentals of great customer service and Covid, while a horrible interruption, hasn't got in the way of their values. Those who fall back on it as an excuse, perhaps never got it right and need to think about the long-term impact on their business.
Of course it's rarely this simple, but it is all about the basics of great customer service which might at times need to flex and change, but is it really that difficult to get right?
I'm passionate about great customer service and the link to visitor experiences. If I can help you get it right, get in touch.
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