Create Your Own 'Godiva Moment'
One
of the nice things about flying First or Business Class
is the little ‘extras’ in the passenger
experience: wider seats, soft slippers, interesting
magazines, comfortable headphones, etc.
On a recent flight, a member of the cabin crew appeared
after dinner with an elegant box of Godiva chocolates.
She invited me to make a selection from the small but
expensive temptations.
I replied spontaneously, ‘Oh, thank you!’
Some of the chocolates were dark and round, others were
light and square. One had a tasty looking nut on top.
Two were wrapped in gold foil. I was flustered for choice.
They all looked so good!
I asked the smiling crew member, ‘Which is your
favorite?’
She knelt down in the aisle next to my seat and looked
over the selection. Pointing gently to a dark chocolate
square with the Godiva logo on top she said, ‘That
one.’ And then, ‘But I like this one, too,
and that one, also.’
I mentioned my preference for light chocolate over dark,
which she followed with two more recommendations.
We looked at each other and laughed. We had chosen every
piece in the box! It was a unique ‘Godiva moment’.
‘Let me get you a plate,’ she said standing
up, ‘then you can try one of each.’
When she returned, we selected four Godiva chocolates
for me to sample. The whole process was a treat. The
sweets, and the service, were delicious.
Two weeks later I was flying on a completely different
airline, also in an upper class of travel. After dinner
a member of the cabin crew came by offering…Godiva
chocolates!
The elegant box was exactly the same. But the service
could not be more different.
As the crew member moved through the aisle, she made
no eye contact whatsoever. There was no pleasure or
invitation in her voice. She thrust the box first in
one direction, then the other.
Her voice was barely a mumble: ‘Chocolate? Chocolate?
Chocolate?’
By the time she came to my seat, she had given up asking
altogether and simply pushed the box towards my face.
I saw the same range of chocolates as before, but had
no appetite whatsoever for tasting.
My reply was as hollow as her invitation, ‘No
thanks’.
Key Learning Point
Anyone can provide
a product. But only those with a passion to serve will
offer an experience of pleasure. Quality service is about
making the connection, not handing out the chocolate.
It’s about leveraging the contact, not just pouring
the coffee. It’s about being the person that people
remember, not simply doing a procedure, pushing a policy
or wrapping up a purchase.
Action Steps
Look carefully at
your products. How can you make them more attractive?
What can you do to enhance their appeal? Can you make
them a bit more ‘Godiva’?
Now study your presentation, people and procedures. Could
they be smoother, more pleasant or friendlier? How can
you polish your service, give your customers a special
treat, and create your own unique ‘Godiva moment’?
Next Article in Customer Service Value Dimensions >>
Innovation Magnifies Your Service
First Article in Customer Service Vision >>
100% is Not Enough. You Need 120%
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Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed customer service training educator for quality service.
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