Posts in category: Edmiston Group

White-glove service is a trending buzzword however, it is the white-glove attitude that sets the service apart. So, what is the difference? It’s how your approach customer service from an integrated concept across all channels. 

There are two primary components to building a highly sophisticated and cutting-edge customer service function: understanding and anticipating customer needs, and implementing processes to facilitate the development of comprehensive individual profiles of customers. 

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

The more you can tailor and anticipate a customer’s wants and needs, the more valuable of a resource your company becomes. 

• In the modern era, white-glove service means going above what your customers expect. It means genuinely putting them at the highest priority to meet their needs. You don’t need a large budget or substantial customer service team to offer this service—you just have to know what your customers want. Develop a customer care process focused on listening and active problem-solving.
• Customers don’t just buy your products; they buy feelings and solutions and experiences. Success is often a series of small wins. Part of what defines white glove customer service is recognizing even minor successes.
• Offering white glove customer service is as simple as it sounds: treating customers with respect and following-up when you say you will. Additionally, answering questions honestly, and setting expectations appropriately matters, too.

If you want to improve your customer service experience, then start with your customers. Learn what they consider a weakness in your company and take steps to improve it.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Every day we have a choice in how we start our day and how others receive us.  Are we someone that is always looking for the negative or sees the positive in people and situations? 

This story is very powerful and is credited to Summer Grace Vanni. 

“I was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing I noticed was the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for me.

He handed me a laminated card and said, ‘I’m Wasu, your driver. While I’m loading your bags in the trunk, I’d like you to read my mission statement. Taken aback, I read the card. It said, ‘Wasu’s Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest, and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment.’  This blew me away. Especially when I noticed the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wasu said, ‘Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf. I said jokingly, ‘No, I’d prefer a soft drink. Wasu smiled and said, ‘No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, lassi, water, and orange juice.’  Almost stuttering, I said, ‘I’ll take a lassi since I’ve never had one before.’

Handing me my drink, Wasu said, ‘If you’d like something to read, I have Good Housekeeping magazine, Reader’s Digest, The Bible, and a Travel + Leisure magazine.’

As we were pulling away, Wasu handed me another laminated card, ‘These are the stations I get and the music they play if you’d like to listen to the radio.’ And as if that weren’t enough, Wasu told me he had the heater on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for me.

Then he advised me of the best route to my destination for that time of day. He also let me know he’d be happy to chat and tell me about some of the sights or, if I preferred, to leave me with my own thoughts.

‘Tell me, Wasu,’ I was amazed and asked him, ‘have you always served customers like this?’

Wasu smiled into the rearview mirror. ‘No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do.’

‘Then I heard about the POWER OF CHOICE one day.’ 

‘Power of choice is that you can be a duck or an eagle. If you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. Stop complaining! Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.’

‘That hit me right,’ said Wasu. He continued and said, ‘It is about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time.

When my customers responded well, I did more. ”I take it that has paid off for you,’ I said.

‘It sure has,’ Wasu replied. ‘My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year, I’ll probably quadruple it. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on it.’

Wasu made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles. I hope we all decide to soar like an eagle and not quack like a duck.”

So I ask you….are you going to swim with the ducks or soar with the eagles?