Customer Dis-Service

My car went in for its MOT today so Gill and I had an hour to kill down near the harbours mouth and Gorleston sea front.

The weather was beautiful and we strolled up to the hotel overlooking the beach and sat down at an outside table to relax for a while with a cappuccino.

It was still a little chilly in the wind and I kept my coat on. With my hand on the end of the metal chair arm I became aware that the green hammerite paint felt a little 'soft' in places. Looking closer at the table and the other chairs it was obvious that they had been painted recently in time for the start of the summer season.

Concerned by the soft paint I looked at the underside of my sleeve to discover a small splodge of matching green paint on the material. Thankfully my coat is old anyway, but it's still one I wear often by choice.

Concerned that someone after me may ruin a good, and maybe expensive, piece of clothing I sought out the staff inside the hotel to alert them to the problem.

I was taken aback by the complete lack of interest and was simply told that the outside furniture had been painted yesterday and none of the managers were in. No apology. No concern. I was thrown really and walked out.

With a clear head I went back a short while later and voiced my feelings. The answer was 'No managers are here, what can we do?'

I pointed out that finding the offending chair, plus any others still not fully set, would avoid anyone else doing the same and potentially placing a hefty claim on the hotel.

Still no action so I left my card and said I would be writing to the owners. At last some response! An apology! But still no action.

What ever happened to care and responsibility? Not for the first time this month I have pondered that question.

Customer Relationship Management and Customer Service done well enhance a business. Done badly they can ruin it.

Will I tell everyone this story, probably. Will it increase sales and their business, very unlikely.

Alloy CRM for Customer Relationship Solutions and online marketing

What's Your Business - Really?

Chating to a potential customer today reminded me of something I read in Michael Gerbers' excellect book The eMyth Revisited.

This book outlines the principles of running your business as a business rather than being a technician IN your business. The difference between baking cakes and making profit from a business that happens to bake cakes.

Michael quotes Ray Crock, the founder of McDonalds, as describing his profit generating business as Real Estate. That would be a surprise to most people who would have thought his answer would be 'selling hamburgers'.

He may have done that at the very beginning but he soon realised that the real profit was in buying and leasing restaurant sites to franchisees. It is the franchises that sell hamburgers.

I'm as guilty as the next man in this. I love getting involved, learning how to do stuff, finding out how it works. The trick is then to pass the real job onto someone else so that you can grow the business and make money for you, your fellow directors and your trusted employees.

So ask your self - What is your business?

If it doesn't fit with Ray Crocks answer then read Michael Gerbers book to work out how to change.

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