Service Story: Profile of Excellence

May 15, 2013
No matter what industry, Customer Service will always be the forefront of business.

A co-worker recently discovered an article (Molloy Associates, 1988) written about her brother-in-law on his Commitment to Excellence for outstanding contributions to the Commercial Finance and Leasing Industry. He commented that his commitment to excellence goes back to his origins. His father, a former Southwestern Bell telephone lineman, provided the necessary focus by teaching his son that "whatever you do, just be the best". From those lessons, whether it was a game of golf, a $5,000 transaction or a $5 million transaction, he approached it with his best effort.

People who worked with her brother-in-law over the years saw that more could be accomplished out of what seemed like less by "good old-fashioned hard work". In addition, he was keen to show in his work that no one is too important to do the "less attractive" jobs AND...the seemingly "less attractive" jobs are more important in completing any task. He set the tone and pace at his work and on his teams by wearing many hats and basically chipping in where work had to be done. He felt a quality sales force will always be important in the service industry. The support team is equally important and the operations team has to be committed to delivering the highest customer service on what the sales team sells.

His philosophy: Customer Service and a Positive Mental Attitude! 

He was committed to pointing his co-workers in a common positive direction and doing what it took to make sure they stayed on track. They, in turn, felt his appreciation for a job well done. This appreciation was borne of his having done the job himself at one time or another in his career. His vision was transmitted to employees by example. Besides having all the right people in place and making work fun, there are two important reasons for success: 1) keep a focus on the market place and what it needs; and 2) never allow defeat because of change and uncertainty.

No matter what industry, Customer Service will always be the forefront of business. Empowering people; having a common goal; committing to excellence; and embracing change all lead to success. This rings true for each and every one of us. Our work ethic comes from our origins: grandparents, parents and mentors. Nothing in life happens without help and guidance along the way and success comes to those who work for it.

People who are committed to excellence in the service they provide also have a clear understanding of why their jobs are important and how they are making a difference for their customers. They believe in what they do and it is not hard for them to get motivated. It can be as simple as finding solutions to complete the task ahead, no matter how challenging it can be. In service delivery, as in other areas of life things do not always go as planned.

But as John Mackey, Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market once said, "We've all been frustrated when an organization, whether it's a business, a government agency, or a nonprofit hides behind, ‘I can't do that’ or ‘It's against policy’. At Whole Foods we empower our team members to do whatever it takes to make our customers happy. Does that mean that they occasionally make mistakes? Of course they do. But if serving the customer is the primary goal, it's better to make a mistake by being too lenient than it is to alienate someone.”

 A commitment to excellence in customer service is an essential factor when tackling those things that go wrong. Instead of focusing one's energy on the fact that something did not go as planned, a positive attitude will serve as a guide to the solutions.

 Everyone has the free will to choose their attitude and how they will handle obstacles in life and in work. Once this shift takes place, it can make the difference toward Excellence in the service industry.