Earlier this week, I wrote about the exaggerated claims made by the hotel in Egypt in which I'm staying, on the website Trip Advisor. Somehow, the management was able to promote the establishment with four stars, when in fact its true status is probably half that.
However, in one respect, it is an exceptional place to stay. And that is the superb level of service provided by the charming, all male, staff.
I'm not sure how much an Egyptian waiter or barman is paid, but I can be fairly certain his cheery and attentive demeanour isn't inspired by his huge wage. It seems more likely the service ethic is simply part of the job, even the culture. Not necessarily something of which British companies are often accused.
The thing about the poor service, which so frequently affects the UK customer experience, that I find so perplexing, is that it costs no more to provide a good service. Actually, bad service damages the bottom line, as a disgruntled customer is rarely a repeat customer.
So how do we define good or bad service? I think it rests on expectation. And expectation usually stems from promise. Let me explain.
If you are promised two eggs for breakfast, but receive only one, your expectations have not been met, and you feel you have suffered poor service. On the other hand, if you weren't promised breakfast at all, and one egg arrives, you are delighted. Of course, courtesy is very important too, but on the whole good service is very much about managing customer expectations. And, I fear, that is where so many businesses fail.
Mistaking grandiose boasts for genuine selling points, too much advertising simply promotes services or products which will not live up to those initial promises. A well- known airline runs regular TV campaigns in which they offer foreign trips for as little as £25. It sounds like a wonderful deal, but a small tagline tells you this is a one-way price. The return flight could cost anything. These ads may be very effective, but I suspect they disappoint a fair few holidaymakers when the full cost is revealed. In short, they don't manage the viewer's expectations.
So many advertisers spend a fortune on their campaigns, only to fail the responding audience with poor service. All those energy suppliers investing heavily to build a seemingly supportive and caring brand, throw away that goodwill with faceless call centres, complicated tariffs and inflated pricing.
It is frequently thought that glossy ads and clever PR campaigns are sufficient and delivering on their selling points is an optional luxury. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I genuinely believe excellent service to be the best marketing available to any business. Get that right and everything else will follow - including that crucial repeat custom and valuable word-of-mouth recommendations.
Unfortunately, the number of UK businesses agreeing with this notion, is still depressingly small. Unlike the American experience, great service remains a surprise in Britain.
