The Super Bowl of Service

There is always something about those “best in class” or “top 10” lists that attract us.  Unless selection is determined by some objective score, we argue with the results.  “I had lousy service from Acme Pyrotechnics!  How come they are on this big deal list?”  But, there is a feature we often miss about those lists that makes it a bit like the Super Bowl.  The Giants and Patriots did not get their ticket to the Indianapolis Stadium because they beat another team by some huge margin.  They got there because they consistently won football games.

Amazon.com, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Enterprise Rental, Zappos.com are the darlings of the “best lists” in service.  Might you have a bad experience with a superstar service provider?  You probably have.  The Giants and the Patriots both lost games in the 2011 season leading up to the Super Bowl.  The key is consistency.  Go to school on the best service providing companies and you will discover they push hard for consistency.  That means having a common service vision, universal standards and norms, a clear set of metrics to gauge variation from the standards, and leadership with the determination to stay the course and continue to improve.

Consistency comes from a culture that demonstrates a commitment to great service and treats every customer encounter at every touch point like pushing to gain a “must win” yard on a fourth down.  What steps are you taking to promote great service that is consistent, not just an occasional occurrence?  How can you make great service a way of life in your sphere of influence?
 

© Chip Bell Group, 2023.  Courtesy of John R. Patterson (www.johnrpatterson.com).  Permission is given to download and distribute this article as long as it contains this copyright notice.