Do What's Required, Not Just Desired
I was staying at a boutique hotel in London and
brought a stack of books to the concierge. I asked the
young man, ‘How much it will cost to ship these
books back to my home in Singapore?’ He promised
to have an answer for me by evening. I left for the
day with a smile.
When I returned that afternoon, the concierge handed
my books back and said, ‘Thirty-two pounds fifty
pence’.
I was tired, said ‘Thank you’, and went
up to my room. But I did not smile. And I did not give
him a tip.
The next morning I returned to the concierge desk. I
was greeted by a very different and somewhat older man.
He asked, ‘Is there anything I can do to assist
you?’
I mentioned the previous day’s conversation and
asked for directions to the post office. He replied
with a question: ‘Mr. Kaufman, is this an urgent
package?’
‘No’, I answered. ‘I’ll be traveling
for eight more days in Europe before returning to Singapore.’
‘In that case,’ he said, ‘I’d
like to do a bit more research for you. May I do so
and give you the results later today?’
I agreed, but I did not smile. And I did not leave a
tip.
When I returned in the evening, a two-page letter from
the older concierge was waiting in my room. Printed
neatly on hotel stationery, it read:
Dear Mr. Kaufman,
Welcome back. I hope you had a good day.
Your books may indeed be sent via the post office for
thirty-two pounds fifty pence and will arrive in seven
to ten days. The post office is on my way home from
the hotel and I would be glad to post them for you tomorrow,
if you wish.
Insurance is available at five pounds per hundred valuation
and a registered receipt is three pounds. If your books
are valuable, I would recommend both.
Should you prefer a more economical route, you may send
your package home by sea. The cost is eight pounds twenty-five
pence, and delivery takes four to six weeks. However,
shipment by sea does not allow for insurance or registered
receipt, and if your books are of value, I could not
recommend this in good faith.
The post office will make one attempt to deliver your
package in Singapore. If you are not home they will
leave you a note. You must then visit the post office
personally to collect your package.
Given your frequent travel schedule, I understand this
may not be convenient for you. Therefore, I have taken
the liberty of contacting the international courier
services. All feature competitive pricing and can deliver
your books within three to four days.
If you are not home,
the courier services will leave you a note but then
(and here’s the difference) they will bring the
books back to your home at your convenience.
The rate for shipping via courier is forty-two pounds,
including a signed receipt and insurance for up to one
hundred pounds valuation.
Whichever manner of shipment you choose, your books
must be properly packed. We will be glad to do this
for you here at the concierge desk.
Mr. Kaufman, I trust
this information is helpful to you when making a decision
on how to ship your books back to Singapore.
We appreciate that you are staying with us and are grateful
for this opportunity to serve you.
Yours faithfully,
The Concierge
PS: If you would like
to have your books shipped three or four days hence,
thereby assuring you are personally at home to receive
them, I can hold the package for you at the concierge
desk and ship it on a forward date of your choosing.
I can then send you full details of your postal receipt
or courier airway bill by e-mail and by fax.
In the morning, I visited the Concierge Desk and gave
the older man my instructions. I also gave him a smile.
And a very big tip.
Key
Learning Point
There is a big difference
between doing what’s ‘expected’ and
what’s ‘appreciated’, between answering
a question and solving a problem, between completing what’s
required and doing what’s desired.
Action Steps
Look at the range
of help, support, ideas and information you give other
people during your day. Now find ways to give a little
more. How can you be more helpful, proactive, robust,
informative, considerate, educational or convenient? How
can you make their lives a little easier, faster, smoother,
more comfortable or productive? Listen to what other people
ask for. Then give them what they want, plus a little
more.
First Article in Customer Service Toolset >>
Future Sales are Hiding in Service
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Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed customer service training educator for quality service.
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