Friday, October 26, 2007

WHO WANTS MY BUSINESS?


This week I was trying to book a function room for 150 people for a charity event. You'd think it would be easy! Not in the land of the world's tallest midget!

When I got through to a local hall to ask if they could do it the woman who answered the phone made five attempts to transfer the phone to the person who could help me - and clearly wasn't able to transfer the call.

I then phoned the local football club - who have an ideal room. Again the person who answered couldn't help me - and she wasn't sure where the man who could help was. He did eventually call me back but the price wasn't in line with what a charity event was all about!!

I then phoned the local golf club - nobody answered the phone - and there was no facility to leave a message.

I went onto Yell dot.com to find a listing for the biggest hotel in the area. The number listed was only a bedroom reservation number. The recorded announcement told me to get the local hotel number if I wanted anything else. This was not available either on Yell.com, in Yellow Pages or on their website!!

I then phoned my mate who is a manager at a local hotel. He found a room and gave it me for free - knowing full well they'll make a pile on food and drink - and we'll make a pile for our charity.

Who of service experience when you still can't get through to most people still! And who said relationships don't work in customer service.


Simon

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Are You Linkedin to Poor Service?




Poor service is not restricted to classic businesses. Bill Tully's tale posted on his siteLinked in account Suspensionshows how the social-networking site Linkedin are getting it wrong. You will see the irony if you follow the link to their page 'Relationships Matter'

Like alot of technologically inspired businesses, linkedin has overlooked the fact that the very medium it seeks to utilise to grow its business can also come back and bite it in the rear. Clearly absorbed with 'technical genius of its business model it has totally overlooked the customer perspective in its approach.

Clearly there is a lack of deep marketing talent, otherwise the notion of 'customer journey' would have guided their service design

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Cue - Bad Service











image credit bized

So, which bit of 'grow the business' - 'attract more passengers' came as a suprise to the senior management of Heathrow and Gatwick airports?

Watchdog slams airports over queues reports the British Civil Aviation Authority has been severely criticised for the level of service provided at Heathrow and Gatwick by the UK's Competition Commision

The ususal tendency is to retrospectively analyse the details of service provision and project management for weakness, and then apply a good dose of 20:20 hindsight to tactical fixes.

The key problem is lack of senior management capability and leadership.