Customer Service

Thursday.

Advent Calendar.

Outstanding Customer Service

A few years ago my son's four string Sterling fretless bass guitar developed a problem.

The Customer Services guy at Ernie Ball, Dan McPherson arranged for the bass to be flown thousands of miles out from Bogsville to the factory in San Luis Obispo, California USA. The company paid the return carriage, the bass was modified free of charge and came back set up perfectly.

I've been telling that story for about four years now, everytime that customer service is mentioned. That's what it's all about. When you get really good treatment, you tell people all about it. It's the best form of advertising there is.

How Not To Do It

Bogsville bar owners should remember that customer satisfaction matters - a lot.

The first thing you notice when you go into a bar is the service. Most drinkers have had a hard day and they want someone polite and friendly to serve them.

The last thing they want is an "Anything else?" or "What's your problem?" attitude.

The problem lies at management level. A new manager takes over a bar and to start with appears every night. Then she suddenly disappears upstairs. "I've done the customer bit. What do you want - blood?"

No we want service with a smile. We aren't rude, we are not objectionable. We are customers.

We wade through the floods in your washrooms and we put up with, "Anything else?" and "What's your problem?" - but only for a very short time.