Every
contact a pot of gold? Go the extra (s)mile for service
Serve It Up
Roberta Nedry |
Another
boat show. Do you know who your next client will be?
Do you know who may refer your next client? Do you know
who may give you a positive recommendation, or a negative
one? Do you know who may open a door, or close one relative
to business opportunities?
The
point is we often think we know and yet there are many
points of contact – whether three seconds, three
minutes or three hours – that can mislead us.
Managing those contacts as if each one could lead to
the pot of gold is critical in any service situation.
Crew
members may find themselves in moments of extreme exposure
and long hours, working boat shows with hundreds of
onlookers, gawkers and buyers.
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How can anyone tell
the difference and how can service levels be maintained throughout
a tiring and rigorous schedule? How do crew members who face
the seas for a living now take a turn and face the “sees”
that come to the boat show?
Being on stage can
be tough. Smiling all day and being nice to everybody can
be trying to just about anybody. And, when all is said and
done, does being nice really matter when so many will come
and go?
Consider the following:
when something good happens or when a positive interaction
takes place, statistics show consumers will tell nine to 12
people. When something negative happens, consumers will tell
10 to 20 people.
The negative stories
always are more colorful and get better (and more exaggerated)
each time the story is told. In more than 95 percent of negative
points of contact, the client does not let you know their
contact with you was negative. They just walk away.
Understanding the
power and impact of each interaction, even the small ones,
can be motivating when your energy dips. Recognizing the power
of each thoughtful gesture, even a wee smile, can rechannel
fatigue and reinvigorate your spirit.
Keep the following
in mind when your feet and face are ready to quit:
1. Take deep breaths
frequently and drink lots of water. Appreciate bathroom breaks
as moments to recharge, even for just a few moments. Look
in the mirror and recognize the great job you are doing. Mirrors
can give great positive feedback if you let them.
2. When working a
boat show or any other major public event, you represent more
than your own vessel; you represent the industry. Though many
passers-by may only be passers-by, they are forming impressions
and making memories. You may be one of the key ingredients
to their first yacht experience. You never know when their
dollars will be back.
3. Make eye contact.
Be sincere. Smile from your heart, not just around your teeth.
Laugh with your crew members when you can. The physical effects
of laughter can trigger the release of endorphins, which are
natural painkillers.
4. Relax and have
fun. Good cheer can reduce stress by expanding blood vessels
and sending blood to those extremities that may be feeling
a bit extreme.
Going the extra (s)mile
can be good for business and for you. Make it your own experience
and make it a great one.
