Five tips on providing first class customer service

Last updated at 00:48, Monday, 26 November 2012

David Crossley, General Manager at Crown and Mitre Hotel, Carlisle.

David Crossley, General Manager at Crown and Mitre Hotel, Carlisle, gives some advice on how to ensure your business offers the best customer service.

1. Always be prepared to go that extra mile. Taking the time to go out of your way for a customer is a guaranteed way to make sure that your business is remembered fondly and for securing return business. When dealing with corporate clients especially, any effort to make their busy day that little bit easier will not only be appreciated but will also make them feel important. Identifying the needs of your customer is crucial to good customer service, even if they don’t take you up on the offer, the gesture will be remembered and this will really make your business stand out from nearby competition.

2. Good local knowledge of your business area. As a hotel, we are frequently asked directions and advice as to where is good to go nearby. Being able to advise your customers will not only save them from going to the effort of finding out themselves, but will reassure them that they are on the right track for an enjoyable break. You might even be able to use it as an opportunity to promote your own business or to boost those in your local area.

3. Know your product. The customer is always right? Not always! Nobody knows your business and what it can offer more than you so it is your responsibility to make sure that you guide the customer; let them know what you can offer and how you feel would be the best way of going about it. Don’t be afraid of offering your expertise, but be careful not to sound as though you care only about making money as people will smell it a mile off.

4. Dedicated staff. Staff that are friendly, presentable and articulate will make all the difference to any business. Making sure that they are well trained will ensure that a high level of customer service is maintained throughout. In a world where more often than not people have to deal with automated services and evasive call centre staff, providing a personal touch and delivering your service with a smile is severely underestimated.

5. Organization. A business can have all the right facilities, great prices, lovely staff and much more but if they can’t deliver the product and service on time then your customer will never be satisfied. At the hotel, not only do we have a weekly meeting with all of our Heads of Departments to discuss any forward business, but we also have a quick ten minute daily meeting to make sure that everything is in order for the business of the day. Doing this means that we rarely make mistakes and enables us to coordinate our staff appropriately.