Service as a mantra gives a leading edge

In the age of social media, I’ve been thinking a lot about service.
The old-fashioned, customer-oriented kind you used to get.

I’m not shopping any more at some retail stores I used to like, or eating in some restaurants where the food is still excellent. I’ve also switched my account with a long-time utility provider. What drove me away? Surly, snappish, indifferent and uncaring service.

Did it matter that I came into their store? Not really. Did anybody care if I found what I needed? Not a chance. Could I even find somebody to ask? Usually not. Why did I have to call month after month to correct recurring mistakes on my bill? Nobody seemed to know – must be the computer’s fault.

I can’t help but wonder if the stores’ owners or higher management know how customers -- the lifeblood of any business -- are treated by the people they’ve chosen to employ. Social media has fast emerged as today’s marketing tool of choice for many companies, but it can never replace responsive, customer-oriented service provided by knowledgeable front-line people who care.

Two Leatherbury Group clients know this well. That’s because they make it their business to care deeply about the service their companies provide. They emphasize this to their people from day one. Exceptional, responsive service is a mantra for David Gray, president of Financial Aid Services (FAS), a management consulting firm that helps colleges and universities optimize their financial aid operations, (www.financialaidservices.org) and Bryan Maggi, president of THINQ, an IT management and digital marketing firm that helps clients profit from their technology. (www.thinq.net)

Over the years, I’ve admired David and Bryan for their integrity as business owners and for their remarkable service standards. So do their clients who I’ve interviewed for testimonial quotes about their companies.

“I have no idea how we would have gotten through recruitment and packaging season without FAS,” one of David’s clients told me. “I have a debt of gratitude for their responsiveness, how well they understand my needs and for giving me a new friend from the experience.”

The CEO of one of Bryan’s client companies recounted an experience he had with a THINQ team member. Pulling into the parking lot at his usual 6:45 a.m., the client was surprised to see Jason, his THINQ representative, waiting in his car by the door. “Your service was down – I wanted to be here before you got in,” Jason told the CEO.

This emphasis on remarkable service starts at the top for FAS and THINQ. David and Bryan choose employees who have an ingrained service ethic. They make sure it’s understood that everybody in the company is there to serve clients and help them achieve success. They make sure their company is known as a partner – not a vendor.

Remarkable service. It’s not the norm today, but it’s a worthy goal for everybody’s business in the age of social media.

Authored by: Linda Leatherbury