BarServ Blog and Podcast

I'm reading a new book by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki entitled Why We Want You To Be Rich.  I've read some of Trump's books before, but never read Kiyosaki's.  I must say this is the best Trump book I've read to date.  It has genuine content and some great advice without being pushy.  There is a bit of self-promotion within (it wouldn't be a Trump book any other way) but it's tollerable.

I found an interesting excerpt where Trump talks about the mentality of dreaming big.  He mentions a book he read where the author advises the way to get rich is to cut out your daily latte from Starbucks and invest that money instead.  The author is encouraging the reader to live below their means in order to have more money later.  Trump countered this advice by asking, why live below your means?  Why not increase your means and have everything you want?  Have your latte, have your big house, have whatever your heart desires.  Just dream big and invest with intelligence.

The customer service you provide is key to building those big dreams.  Don't cut back on practices that build customer loyalty, but rather increase them.  Imagine different ways you can knock your customers' socks off and then act on those ideas.  Exceed the customer's expectations.  Make an impression.  Believe that you are the best at what you do and act like it everyday.  And while you're at it, have a latte or two.

George W. Daye, III
Founder and President
BarServ

I'm an avid reader of the Wall Street Journal. I don't always read in depth about the financial news, but I do like the ideas the publication presents about new business ideas and entrepreneuership.  I've received the Journal for about a year now and very much become used to the layout, formatting, etc.

Recently, the WSJ sent me an email telling me about changes that are soon coming to the paper.  A slimmer page, more color photos and more in-depth reporting on the 'why' not just the 'how'.

Beginning January 2, 2007, you will receive a more relevant Journal designed to better meet your needs. There will be increased focus on interpretation, insight and ideas…more of what the news means and not just what happened.

And your Journal will look different too.  It will come to you in a slimmer, easier to handle size, with a more legible typeface. There will be better section labeling and more daily summaries to help you find what you need more quickly.

New features will include the forward looking Today’s Agenda, alerting readers to the meaning of the news they will see later in the day, and Informed Reader, providing notable insights from sources beyond The Journal.

You will also find Value-added Statistics that graphically communicate market information and global market trends each day and the NEW Online Markets Data Center at WSJ.com available free to all subscribers. This site will provide full stock listings and easy ways to put data into context.  Innovative features include stock and index charting, access to market-moving headlines and email delivery of key market information.

Please visit now at wsj.com/mdctour to find out for yourself how easy Markets Data Center is to use.

We hope you like what you will see on January 2. Be assured that what has not changed is the high quality content and credibility you have come to expect from The Journal. As always we welcome your reactions, comments and thoughts.  You can contact us at newlookfeedback@wsj.com.

Sincerely,
The Wall Street Journal

I not only received this email once, but three times.  Each email worded differently.  I think this is a perfect example of setting expectations.  Who knows the real reason why the WSJ made the change.  Reader demand?  Cutting costs?  Maybe the WSJ is getting their ass kicked by The Times?  Who knows.  But the fact is they are setting the expectations of their audience in advance of the changes and spinning them to their favor. 

Ths is something you should do in your business often.  Set expectations.  Your customers need to be informed, and in advance, not after the fact.  Changing you logo?  Tell them why.  Dropping a line of merchandise?  Tell them why.  Tell them how it benefits them as a customer and how it makes your business better.  Communicate with you customers and set expectations.  Who knows... one day YOUR company may be on Wall Street, reaping the benefits.

My wife and I went to Fry's yesterday, an electronics store that seems to carry anything and everything you could ever want as far as audio, video, building computers, stocking your office and more.  The store itself is not designed to serve the average consumer, but moreso the computer geek or hobbyist.  As a result, the store layout is confusing for someone who doesn't frequent the store.

Fry's showed a good example yesterday of why they excel at customer service.  As my wife and I were no more than two feet inside the door when we were greeted by a Fry's employee standing at a desk,  with a crowd control rope standing behind him.  "Welcome to Fry's.  Do you have a return?" the man asked.  We said no, so he directed us to the left, which led to the store.  If we had said yes, he would have directed us to the right, where crowd-control ropes were set up to handle the large number of customers making returns after Christmas Day.

The point is this:  Fry's proactively addressed what they perceived as a challenge and assisted their customers before those customers even knew they needed assistance.  They went above and beyond to provide superior customer service to people who may have been walking into a Fry's store for the very first time.  And, they provided clear directions to their customers on how to address their issue.  Directions are key, because often customers are left to navigate how things work on their own.  Your operations methods may be crystal clear in your mind, but communicating this to a customer with minimal confusion is an entirely different challenge.  So, remember to "Expect and Direct".  This builds customer loyalty and ultimately, good word of mouth.

So, how can you apply this to the customer service at your operation?  Is there a time of year where there is high potential for customer stress?  Is it Christmas? Does it surround a community event such as college homecoming or a high school graduation?  Maybe you carry a product that is highly anticipated, such as a video game system, collectors item, DVD, CD, etc. Take time to analyze your customers' experience in advance and how you can make it easier, stress free and memorable.  Your customers will thank you for it and come back for more. 

I didn't have a return this year at Fry's, but the seed is firmly planted that when I do, this retailer has their act together and I have no questions that my return experience wil be a smooth one.

If you've started analyzing your service using the "Square One" technique, have you considered what your valet service can do to make a memorable experience?  How about the valet placing a thank you card on the person's car console when delivering the vehicle back to the customer?  Or maybe a mint?  Remember, be different... be memorable!

2006 is coming to an end and I've decided to make a new start with my Dayely Thoughts, a blog where I will discuss my favorite subject, customer service, along with other thoughts and guides.  Podcasts will be back on track as well.

Since I founded BarServ back in 2004, I've learned a lot about customer expectations.  They do not always demand perfect service, but moreoften attentive service.  The most frustrated customers are often ones left without any course of action or solutions to their needs, because their server is not there when needed.  BarServ's level of expectations are much higher than simply "attentive", but if more servers would spend time in their sections rather than in the kitchen or at the hostess stand many customer frustrations could be easily avoided.

For example, I'm at a Starbucks location right now in Arlington, Texas.  Even though the baristas, as Starbucks calls their coffee experts, were very busy as I walked in, they were quick to greet me in a loud, friendly voice.  "Welcome to Starbucks, we'll be right with you," one barista said with a smile.  Not a big deal, I'm used to it by now since I come to various Starbuck's stores regularly, but still, I was acknowledged.  I would notice much more if I were not greeted.  Even if the line is 10 people deep, I know that someone has noticed me, is glad I'm buying my coffee here and has a wider vision than just the latte they're working on at the moment.  They're in control of the entire store, and as a consumer that makes me feel at ease.

Restaurateurs might take as a cue to encourage their staff to do the same.  What if you, as a restaurant manager, demanded that your hostess staff greet customers with, "Hello!  Welcome to _____, thanks for joining us for lunch today," rather than the otherwise unappealing, "Smoking or Non?"  It takes initiative on the management's part to train and enforce such a practice, but just imagine all the customer loyalty they will begin to build from that small effort. 

Think of your operation's customer service as a board game, one that has a starting square, a path to follow, and a finishing square.  This example can be used in any type of retail or hospitality environment, but I'll use a restaurant for this example. How does your customer move down the path of your board game, and how you can enhance each square they land on a more enjoyable and memorable experience?  For some customers, the starting square is the valet parking service out front.  For others, it may be the hostess answering the phone when they call for directions, or the hostess greeting them when they first walk in the door.  Whatever your starting square, isolate that experience from the customer's point-of-view and make it a superior and memorable one.  Then, follow the path, square by square, until your customer reaches the end.  If you've done your job well, the last square will lead your customer right back to the beginning of the path and provide them positive anticipation of their next visit.  And the bonus?  They'll tell someone else about it, and they'll want to take the journey too.

Merry Christmas!

GD