Customer Service Northern Ireland Style
The title is a bit of a misnomer. Does Northern Ireland have any style at all when it comes to Customer Service? Hmmm? Clifton House (pictured) has it in spades.
You’re probably familiar with my rants here and on Twitter about customer service in Northern Ireland restaurants. This one is different as I end with a list of helpful tips for Northern Ireland service providers, specifically those who supply conference services.
Since the beginning of September, Allen and I have been visiting many old and new conference venues, speculating for upcoming events.
The reception at each venue has been an eye-opener and a decider at once
An international hotel chain receptionist – when she appeared – greeted Allen at the reception desk with… “Oh, um, there’s no-one here… lemme see…”. Not an auspicious start. It ended with a thorough lack of interest. He said it left him with the impression that attendees at our conferences might be treated with the same disinterest. This would reflect on us, to a certain extent.
Customer experience is key, if we want customers to return. And, if we are supplying it, then every stage has to be quality, when they are paying a premium price. This starts when the attendee walks into reception and asks to be directed to the conference.
This hotel, by the way, had three receptions. It was not clear which was the main reception. Surely a little black and gold sign from any good stationers would solve this problem? I don’t want any flustered, late attendees to be further hassled by a confusing entrance and absent reception staff.
A local university offering itself as a venue led us on a tour through dark stairwells more suited to the type of films I try to avoid. I wondered if my attendees would also be subjected to such a torturous route. Would we need to issue sat-nav to each person?
The dusty building work in the lobby remained unexplained
Would it be completed by the date of the conference? Requests for a pricing sheet was met with panic. We didn’t even venture to ask about food options. We were asked to wait while a phone number for another campus was printed off, as all bookings are made there. Awkwardness and lack of information were combined with bumbling disinterest. Are we likely to book? Not ever.
A printing supplier met my enthusiam for printed folders with about as much excitement as she would another charity bag in the post-box
The follow-up email was just about as useful and exciting. Will I even bother to look at the website? No. She may have just lost her employer several thousand pounds and a regular customer. Later that day, I felt giddy with irony, as I met a new client who booked me for eight customer service seminars for next September. He’d got it. I didn’t need to do the hard sell. He was there already.
No foresight. No imagination. No deal.
The venues that impressed…
- Each was articulate about explaining the facilities and ambiance attendees could expect to experience on the day. The fact that they’d even thought that such a thing was important really impressed me, before I saw the conference or dining areas.
- Each pointed out the unique features of their venue, as if they were proud of it. This included plasma screens, view, decor, lighting, history…
- Each made us feel welcome and left us free to walk around, unaccompanied to our heart’s content. It takes a while to get a feel for the feel of a venue. They recognised it, suggested it, and waited patiently while we wandered around.
- Each was able to supply a conference pack and menu, with flexible options and prices, with suggestions of how to keep the cost down. This is very important just now. While it’s not always the first deciding factor, it might just be the second one!
- Each had complimentary parking facilities, or at least the details of the closest parking facilities details at hand.
- One venue recommended by a business colleague even said they’d been expecting our call! This was mightily impressive.
What is the key to good customer service?
We at least need to start there in Northern Ireland. My thoughts:
- Don’t tell me how busy you are. I am just not interested. Just give me an appointment time that suits us both.
- Listen, with your eyes on me, not at the fly on the ceiling.
- Provide the answers to all the basic questions I have, before I have to commence vivisection in order to extract them.
- Get rid of the hotel smell. My best guess is – processed peas. Has anyone else noticed this?
- Stop blaming your lack of organisation on (a) your printing supplier, (b) the computer, or (c) someone else.
- Show even a modicum of friendliness.
- And, please, please wash your hair before coming to work!
To me it seems ludicrous that those who should be marketing professionals can’t do smiles, eye-contact or listening.
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So – was it Clifton House you chose?
Yes, it was. Details on event – Storytelling, Business and Innovation – up soon.
Well said. Had a similarly diabolical customer service experience by a check out lady in Asda last night who was old enough to know better. I’ve done time on checkouts before, I know it’s not nice but I never lost basic manners.
Customer service plays an important role in an organization’s ability to generate revenues, and as such, customer service should be a fundamental part of any company’s “valued customer” approach. In fact, there’s an enormous body of research, which strongly indicates that customer satisfaction and loyalty; are major contributors to profitability.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insight.
Best wishes.
Anyone got any thoughts then on why – if customer service is directly related to customer satisfaction and loyalty, and eventually profits – it’s so bad here in NI.
Well said, Dawn. Loved your blog on this particular subject– we experience a very similar ghastly customer service culture in hospitality within my region of Canada. Finding the true gems takes a lot of time and effort; some companies are realizing that internal and external service are hurting their bottom line and I’ve recently been contracted by a regional chain to consult on corrections.
Not sure if it is an N.I. Thing or a UK/Ireland thing.
But certainly as far as restaurants go, it seems to me that in places where there is a culture of tipping for good service e.g. The USA, you tend to get much better service (and be much happier giving a tip).
There are exceptions to this rule. I don’t know if it is just me, but I tend to get much friendlier service in smaller local village pubs/restaurants…
Tip: If I was a waiter, I would try to smile a bit more….
So – was it Clifton House you chose?
Your candid post about customer service is an eye opener. I hope hotel establishments in NI read this. Anyway, I agree. Friendly and attentive receptionists go a long way when customers are deciding if and when to book. Like all human interaction, good business begins with good rapport. Thank you for this article.
Jordan and Sarah, thanks for your comments on friendly smiles. Recently, I walked into a regular suppliers’ office, to be greeted by one receptionist who was superbly friendly, smiley and helpful, as usual (while her colleague glared at me like a Rottweiler ready to pounce). I was made to feel extremely uncomfortable, as I tried to carry on my conversation with her colleague.
I honestly suspect that in this case, our NI dourness was to blame, and the person in question would quite possibly be horrified that she was having such an effect. There was nothing for her to glare at. I’ve never spoken to her, or looked in her direction. I was simply calling in to drop something off.
Does no-one teach basic customer service any more?
Dawn Baird, Partner recently posted..Why Your Non-Entrepreneurial Family and Friends Don’t Understand What You Do