BarServ Blog and Podcast

BarServ News:
BarServ Launches SHOPNet(tm) 2.0

Today is an exciting day!  BarServ has launched the newest version of its mystery shopper management system, SHOPNet 2.0.  BarServ Insight Shoppers will notice quite a few differences in the look and feel of the new system.  We felt it was important to assess our previous system and make the shopping experience easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved.

The new system has a cleaner look, is easier to navigate and puts more inormation on one screen.  it also has powerful new features that were unavailable in the previous version.  If you are one of our valued Insight Shoppers, please login to www.barserv.com and take a look around!  We think you'll like what you see.

My wife and I recently had our first experience with Costco.  My Mom swears by the warehouse retailer and its good customer service.  So much so that I'm surprised she's not the spokesperson for the entire chain.  Whenever I speak with her on the phone, it's predictably, "George, guess what I got at Costco?"  It's so predictable that it has become an inside joke with our family.  So, if Mom says it's good, it's gotta be... And indeed it was.

We visited our local Costco around 6:30 p.m. on a Thursday night, high traffic time I suppose considering everyone's getting off work and hitting the grocery stores.  The greeter directed us to the membership desk, where a woman was working solo, processing the only other person in line before us.  I observed her as she worked.  She was quick on her feet, smiling and asking the couple she was assisting how their evening was going.  Small talk, but friendly.  She worked quickly, taking their pictures and processing their new membership cards.  After a friendly "Thank you" they were on their way and we were up to bat.  Remember, just that couple and us were in line at this point.

She then began helping us and seemed to be stepping up the pace.  While we filled out our application, she picked up her radio and asked for assistance at the desk.  I turned to look behind us and saw no less than 15 people in line!  This was the desk for new members as well as returns.  The woman continued to work quickly, asking the woman behind us to begin filling out a return form and also having the man behind her fill out a new member form.  She asked how our evening was, smiled and called again on her radio for assistance.  Completely cool, calm, friendly and efficient.  Help eventually arrived and she didn't once lose that smile. 

What a fantastic attitude! I admired her spirit and thought it was a great "gatekeeper" experience.  Gatekeepers include receptionists, phone operators, valets, hostesses, membership coordinators and sales associates to name a few.  These gatekeepers can make or break your business as they set the bar for the customer experience.

I remember bartending on Friday and Saturday nights and thinking "If I look busy, stay straight-faced and sweat a lot, customers will be more patient with me.  They'll understand I'm working hard."  Looking back on those days I wish I had been more like the woman at Costco.  I knew she was working hard, but was still very friendly and didn't let us see her sweat.  The attitude was the key.  She had it together and we looked forward to a great customer service experience at Costco. 

Questions to consider:
-Who are your gatekeepers?
-Are these gatekeepers the right personnel for the job? 
-Are there others in your organization who would better fit the job?
-What kind of expectations are they setting for your customers?
-Have you trained them to have great attitudes, not to just work hard and get the job done?
-Do you continue to train them each day for excellence?

George W. Daye, III
Founder and President
BarServ

Today, I'd like you to quit your job.  All of you.  Are you in sales?  Hang up the towel.  Are you in marketing?  Put in your notice.  Are you a C-level executive guiding your company day to day? It's your last day on the job.  The good news?  I'm hiring each and every one of you.  And if you have friends or colleagues who you think will be a good fit for our team, please ask them to join us.  I want to hire them too.  You, me and all of your associates are going into an exciting and growing industry and we are about to hit it BIG!  We're going into the construction business.

How did you start your day today?  If you're a professional, you probably showed up at your desk, turned on your computer, and then checked your email and voicemail.  You made a list of people to call back, did so and then chucked the list.  Then, you emailed back everyone who emailed you.  Nothing groundbreaking... it's the same thing you did yesterday.  But, you and I are in partnership in our new business, and we're going to do things a bit differently here at our company. 

Tomorrow, when you show up at your desk, write the list of people to call back.  Call them back just as you did before, but this time keep the list.  Then email back everyone that emailed you, but this time add their names to your voicemail list.  I would be willing to wager you have compiled a list of people, both co-workers and clients that you work closely with on a daily basis.  Congratulations!  You have just written the first blueprint for our new construction company.  And as any construction executive knows, you can't build a building without a blueprint. 

Next step?  Let's get to constructing.  But instead of constructing an office building or skyscraper, we're going to construct solid professional relationships on a foundation of excellent customer service.  Using a box of personal stationery (not company letterhead) write a quick note to each person on your list, something less than 10 lines.  If you don't have stationery, go get it.  No excuses here at our new firm.  Tell your co-workers you appreciate them and the hard work they do each day.  Thank your clients for doing business with you as well as your company and that you appreciate their loyalty.  Take a moment to let each person on your list know that you're looking out for them and you value your relationship. 

The above is a simple example of how the beginning of your day, the menial tasks that you probably value and look forward to the least, can still have a strong impact on how you are viewed in the business world from a customer service standpoint.  Wouldn't you agree that some of the most frustrating customer service experiences you've had personally are ones where you can't seem to reach the person you need at the moment?  It drives me crazy trying to find my server when I need a drink refill, or punching buttons repetitively to navigate a phone system and get to a real person.  My wife can attest that I'm not a nice person to be around at these moments.  I want to know that someone is there for me when I need them.

I encourage you to continue with your blueprint and really view your chosen profession as a construction business.  Stop walking on the same paths across the same piece of land where you've lived everyday of your professional career.  Build something new!  Build excellent customer service relationships and the business profits will follow.  Keep something on your desk that reminds you of this... a hammer, a screwdriver, a drill.... something that may be completely out of place in your profession (a doctor with a drill on their desk may be a bit extreme, but you get the point) and will remind you that we're all in business to be excellent builders.  

George W. Daye, III
Founder and President
BarServ

BarServ continues to make improvements to its proprietary intranet: SHOPNet and should have a new version ready to roll very soon.  Improvements include a dashboard view of all available unassigned mystery shopping opportunities, currently assigned mystery shopping opportunities and recently submitted reports all on one screen. 

We are also moving all our functionality to one server at CI Host.  We are currently split between two.  This merge will bring enhanced flow when working within SHOPNet and ease of use for all.  We analyze customer service on a daily basis and believe this new version of SHOPNet will improve ours as well.

Expect SHOPNet 2.0 to go live shortly.  Thank you for all of you who participate in BarServ's shopping program, both partners and shoppers alike.

George W. Daye, III
Founder and President
BarServ

Those of you who stop in often know I'm a raving fan of Starbuck's.  I'm there at least 2-3 times a week, especially when I need a break from my home office and need to interact with people fact to face.

One such recent visit left me wondering "What are they thinking?"  I ordered my usual half decaf, half regular coffee (no foo-foo drinks for this guy!) and was told there was no coffee brewed.  The woman said it would be 5-10 minutes before it would be ready.  This struck me as strange... a coffee shop with no coffee?  Still, I was charged the usual $2 and waited. 

As I browsed merchandise and waited for my drink, I couldn't quite understand why I was charged for the coffee.  Is there anything less costly for Starbuck's to produce than a basic cup of Joe?  I'm a regular customer who occasionally purchases merchandise as well as food items and I definitely tell others about the good customer service I receive.  Even though I am a raving fan, I have quite a few other choices when it comes to my regular drink, and I did not feel that I was compensated for my time or inconvenience.  I mean come on... A Starbuck's without coffee?  Who'd have thunk it. In Starbuck's defense, I have run into this situation on rare occasion before and I was not charged for my coffee.  My expectations have been raised and this most recent customer service experience did not meet those expectations.

Allow me to provide you an example of how "Comping the Cheap Stuff" worked well for another brand, BMW.  My wife and I purchased one of their vehicles a few years back and I wanted a new key chain to go with it.  BMW offers a nice selection of premium key chains in various materials such as wood and metal on their Web site as well as at the dealers.  About a week after our car purchase, I went to Moritz BMW in Arlington in search of the key chain I wanted.  I told a sales associate I had recently purchased a vehicle here and inquired as to where I could find the key chains.  He said the store had already closed, but he asked me to wait for a moment.  He disappeared into a back room and quickly returned with a shining new key ring, one with the BMW symbol on one side and the dealership logo on the other, and said it was no charge.  He thanked me for my business (even though he was not the sales associate that we purchased from) and encouraged me to return the next day to find another key chain I liked.  Great job!

I had driven to the dealership with expectations of coming home with a new key chain and I was not disappointed.  It may not have been the exact one I wanted, but the sales associate went above and beyond to ensure I was a satisfied customer that day.

So, I encourage you to keep the Big Picture in mind when interacting with customers.  Is the focus point of the moment (the cup of coffee, the key chain, etc.) really the issue?  Probably not. The question you should be asking yourself is how you can harness that focus point to convert that customer into a loyal customer for life.

George W. Daye, III
Founder and President 
BarServ

I received interesting input from one of my readers concerning the Cell-Fish Behavior post from last week.  Marc Schillinger of Indianapolis, IN wrote:


Great point Marc.  What exactly are you supposed to do if it's the guest on the phone?   There's a fine line between catering to the guest and correcting guest behavior.  I think you are approaching the situation correctly by refusing to take the order while the guest is on the phone.  The guest should know not to be on the phone in the first place, but it's not your job to teach him his manners.  I suggest you not approach the table at all, but make yourself available within your section.  If it's imperative that they order immediately regardless of the phone conversation, they will let you know.  Otherwise, give the guest their space and wait until the conversation is complete.  Then return and let them know you didn't want to interrupt.  This lets the guest know you are definitely up on your manners and that you respect them. 

Higher-end restaurants where the Per Person Average is upwards of $100 sometimes implement a "no phone" policy at the door, letting guests know that it is frowned upon to even consider using a cell phone at the table.  It is rumored that some movie theatres and other businesses where silence is golden have begun to place cell-phone screening technology in the walls and ceilings to interrupt incoming calls.  While I don't have any proof of this, I would be totally behind this type of system. 

Thanks for the comments Marc!

George W. Daye, III
President and Founder
BarServ

People love to make personal connections.  I much prefer to dine at restaurants where I still have contacts from my bartending days because it's easier for me to get the reservation times and tables that I want.  It also gives me peace of mind knowing I'm in good hands and that my every need will be addressed.  This same rule goes for where I get my haircut, where I purchase my vehicles, who I call for medical advice and where I pick up my dry cleaning.  All these business choices are based on relationships and who I identify with best.

This past weekend I discovered a little secret in Fort Worth.  From 1-3 p.m. every Saturday, the Rahr Brewery gives tours of their facility and free, yes FREE, beer to all that visit.  I mixed and mingled with 200+ of Rahr's loyal customer base and had a great time doing it.  Having lived in Fort Worth for six years previous to our recent move down the road to Grand Prairie, I'm not really sure how I didn't know about this.  But I promise I'll be back week after week.

Frederick William Rahr, Jr., owner of the brewery, is on-site, pulling beers for all that attend.  He's shaking hands, giving tours, meeting and greeting and building new raving fans right at the grass roots.  True, this is marketing first, but good marketing and good customer service go hand in hand.  Mr. Rahr takes care of his customers personally and builds that personal relationship that is so valuable in today's often sterile business landscape. 

So when you visit DFW, I encourage you to visit Rahr Brewery and see exactly how good customer service is executed, and to have a well-crafted pint of beer while you're at it.

George W. Daye, III
Founder and President
BarServ

I'm not a big believer in luck.  Rather, I believe hard work and persistance are the drivers of success, and that those elements will often put you in the right place at the right time.  There are exceptions to those beliefs and last night was one of them.

My wife and I were watching a show on NBC around 9:30 p.m. when a notice came on and said "Texas Lotto tonight at 10 p.m.! $100+ million dollars up for grabs!"  It wasn't 2 minutes before I was on my way to the local 24-hour grocery store to but tickets.  I rarely buy lotto tickets, but this was one of those opportunities I couldn't pass up.  If you don't play, you can't win, and who knows? Maybe it's my lucky night.

I arrive at the grocery store and there are two young female employees standing near the front door.  Not a word from them as I passed by which is not unusual in a grocery store I suppose.  (Remember our previous conversation about expectations?)  I found the customer service desk where three hand-written signs said "Lotto not working", "Closed", and "No Lotto Tickets".  Okay, good way to get the message to me immediately and communicate with the customer.  I imagine they had become tired of answering questions when people did come in for tickets.

As I was leaving, I was going to ask one of the women in the front of the store where else I could go that was close.  I didn't have that opportunity, as I was disappointed to discover they were both chatting on their cell phones.  I didn't even get eye contact as I left the store.  Irritated, I found another lotto location and bought my tickets there.

If there is one thing that really burns me, really gets my customer service furnace fired up, it's employees talking on cell phones in view of customers or guests.  I make it a policy to not talk on my phone when I'm checking out in a grocery line or paying out in a drive thru window.  It's rude, not to mention distracting when you are needing to communicate with another person.  I expect that same courtesy in return.

If you don't have a "No Phone" policy in your place of business, I strongly encourage you to put one in place.  I'm speaking specifically to businesses where employees have high exposure to  customers or guests.  An office environment is different.  Phones can still be a distraction here but only in meetings or when your staff needs to interact with each other.  Either way, your business should have some type of phone policy in-place and make it stick.

When I returned home with fifteen lotto tickets in hand for the big 10 p.m. drawing, I just KNEW one of them was the big winner.  I could feel it!  Well, I guess my feelings were wrong since not one turned out to be said winner.  Hopefully, I'll have better luck next time as well as better customer service.

George W. Daye III
Founder and President
BarServ

The key to excellent customer service is really a combination of two things: 1) Setting customer expectations and 2) Exceeding those expectations.  The cool thing about this formula is that you can be as wild and crazy in your methodology as you want to be.  It's your game, you make the rules and decide how the participants, in this case your customers, will play.  

 

There are truly no limits here.  Look at these pairings and see how brands and expectations go hand in hand:

 

Wal-Mart        :          Price

Target            :          Selection

BMW             :          Performance

Mercedes       :          Luxury

Google           :          Innovation

Volvo             :          Safety

Disney           :          Family

Oprah            :          Community/Women's issues

Trump            :          Success

 

 

Customers come to expect certain experiences from their favorite brands, and these expectations are no mistake.  Companies plan far in advance how they want to position themselves in the public eye and spend lots of money to drive that image home.  Everything they do is tied to branding.  This reinforces the brand and builds customer expectations.  So, using that thinking track, would you expect to go to Wal-Mart and find a Rolex watch?  Would you search for a budget-priced car at a Mercedes dealership?  How about watching Oprah to get the latest buzz on punk rock bands?  These expectations simply don't match the brands.  As a business owner you must tailor your brand very carefully, setting the expectations of your customers and then delivering on those expectations.  Again, and this is important, there is no limit on what you can do.

 

You may think, "Surely George, there are some limits.  It's not like I can treat my customers with disrespect and expect them to return�" 

Actually, you can.  And you can make them like it.

Chances are, if you live in Dallas, San Antonio, Chicago, Boston, Myrtle Beach or San Diego, you have heard of Dick's Last Resort.  Dick's is the prime example of setting customer expectations, as wild as they may be, and delivering with precision.  Dick's positions itself as a place to go and get insulted.  No, you're eyes are not deceiving you, they pride themselves on being dry, sarcastic and putting the guest on the butt end of a joke.  Servers are hired with wit and humor as a required skill.  The establishment makes no excuses and tells customers as they enter, "You've been warned!"  Servers verbally spar with guests.  Bartenders shoot insults at groups of women.  Itss your birthday? Forget about it! You're a prime target for whatever embarrassing attention the staff can shine onto you.  Dick's obviously still takes care of the guests as any other establishment would and do it well, otherwise they wouldn't have any business at all.  But, who hasn't watched one of those Friar's Club Roasts on Comedy Central and thought what fun it would be.  This is the magic of Dick's success: Insulting, but all in good fun.

I encourage you to find your own voice.  What messages are you sending to your guests, just as major brands do everyday, and what expectations are you setting?  Are you delivering on those expectations?  Be creative, be daring and determine what it is you want your company to be.  Anything goes.

George W. Daye, III
Founder and President
Barserv

 

The first of the year is often the time companies strategize budgets for the upcoming business cycle.  Deciding how much to spend on TV, radio, outdoor, newspaper and magazine advertising is a tricky trade, not to mention all the in-store marketing to go along with it.  Larger companies allocate millions of dollars to build and reinforce brands, and drive customer traffic. 

Chris Brown, President and owner of Marketing Resources & Results, Inc. Located in Northeast Ohio, said today that companies with less than $100 million in revenue allocate an average of 8.7% of their total budget for marketing.  For a small business, that's a fairly large chunk.  So how can you as a small business owner stretch that 8.7%? Increased revenue probably comes first to mind, and negotiating with media for placement premiums or frequency also hits high on the list.  As we all know, everything is negotiable.  When I worked in advertising, one of my clients often waited until the last minute to buy ink in a variety of magazines.  This was good for him but it drove me crazy, running around at the last minute to create ads.  This provided him with ads at a much-reduced rate in high-profile publications, but the placement was often horrible.  Not the best strategy.  So what else can you do? 

How about customer service? (insert light bulb flickering and turning on here!)

Customer service improvements are often free as can be.  Choosing one day to sit down and strategize a customer service plan will pay large dividends if done right.  Here are Ten Ways to Improve Customer Service in 2007 at little or no cost:

1. Encouraging more smiles.  Make it policy!
   
2. Everyone (yes, even the boss!) acknowledges customers who pass within 5 feet
3. Begin a hand-written thank you card program for recent guests or clients.  Key words here: Hand and Written
4. Build a mailing list to personally invite customers to special events
5. Shake more hands
6. Look customers in the eye and build trust
7. Tell customers thank you at least 10 times a day
8. Call customers when you don't need to and when they don't expect it
9. Remember names and use them often
10. Don't stay in your office.. Get out and get involved.  Be visible!

Build on these ideas for 2007 and explore where they lead you.  You and your team know much better than I what your customers expect, but definitely start there... "What do my customers expect?"  Think on that and then blow their socks off with customer service they never could have imagined.

George W. Daye, III
President and Founder
BarServ

Happy 2007!  BarServ rings in the New Year with a continuation of our blog on customer service.  Thanks for reading.

Think of the world's top brands and no doubt Mercedes Benz will come to mind.  Mercedes does a wonderful job of tailoring its image with non-stop marketing.  Magazines, television, internet, email, snail mail, outdoor... I gain impressions from Mercedes on a daily basis.  My wife and I are proud owners of a black C230 Sport (it looks like this).  We purchased it a year and a half ago and had nothing but the best experience.  Our salesman was more of an advisor than a pushy sales guy.  He was polite, treated us like treasured guests and made the experience memorable. As I like to say, he knocked our socks off.  We were a BMW family before this, but now the household is split right down the middle.  I still have my BMW (and love it), and my wife simply loves her Mercedes Benz. 

But in the year and a half since, our Mercedes experience has been lackluster.  The car itself is still a winner.  Love to drive it, love to wash it, love everything about it.  But the five times we've taken it to the dealer, Park Place Motorcars located here in North Texas, for regularly scheduled service, we've experienced nothing but problem after problem.  These include: Losing our appointments in the scheduling system, not having a loaner car as promised, delivering the wrong car to us on pickup, lazy valet service and more.  The result:  My wife has handed off maintenance responsibilities to me and is ready to jump ship to a different brand. 

Today, I was scheduled to drop off our car at 10 a.m. I called in advance to confirm my appointment, but the woman at Park Place's call center said she couldn't find my appointment.  Ugh!  It's happening again!  So, I had to reschedule for another day.  I hung up and promptly called Matt, the general manager of Park Place Mid-Cities.  Matt took my call, apologized for the inconvenience and asked me to come in and ask for him personally, which I did.  Matt took time to sit and talk with me about my concerns and said he immediately followed up on the problem with the scheduling folks.  It was obvious that Matt cared about my business with his dealership and assured me it would be addressed with his team to avoid future issues.  I want to believe him, but it will take a few over-the-top, positive experiences to make up for the damage.  Russell, the service coordinator who took care of me today, and Denise, the loan car coordinator, also did an excellent job.  This is the service I expect every single time I visit Park Place, not just when I'm the squeaky wheel.

I think this points to the double-edged sword of brand expectation.  Mercedes touts how great they are, how great their product is and that being a Mercedes-Benz customer is like no other.  So, now that I'm one of their customers, I expect nothing but the best for the life of my relationship with them.  I should clarify... Not only the best Mercedes has to offer, but better than any other car dealer from which I can choose.  My expectations are raised.

What does this make you think about your own business?  I'm sure you've built a relationship with your customers and they have expectations of you.  Are they high or low expectations?  How can you raise them?  How can you maintain them?  And as you go forward in 2007, remember that your customers now have the power to self publish their customer service experiences, just as I'm talking about Mercedes-Benz here.  Mike Sansone, who writes about blogging on his own blog, ConverSatations, thinks 2007 will lead to more and more people and small businesses blogging.  This is changing how we view customer service and how you should approach it at the point of sale and beyond through the customer relationship.  You never know who's watching.