GREAT Service is GREAT Theater. Don’t be just good. Be GREAT out there out there!

GREAT Service is GREAT Theater. Don’t be just good. Be GREAT out there out there!

English writer Samuel Johnson said, “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed”. So, I encourage you to remind yourself and your colleagues of this:

QUI TAKEAWAY: In their book, The Experience Economy, Joseph Pine and James Gilmore define that “Work is theater and every business a stage.” If you were an actor delivering a great live theatrical performance, the audience becomes wrapped up in the experience and as they walk out of the theater, they tell their friends that it was the best thing they’ve enjoyed in a long time.

It does not matter to the audience that the actors are performing for the 100th time. The audience has paid very good money to see the show and expects the actors to deliver their performance with the same passion as on opening night. Your customers expect nothing less. As it is in Great Theater, you have to “act it like you mean it”. Do not confuse this with “fake it till you make it”. Your customers, like any audience, can see right through that kind of performance. Do you always feel like working every day, five days a week, 8-10 hours a day, on your birthday,  holidays, or even on scheduled days off? Of course not. But do you think the customer really cares how you feel? Absolutely not! No customer walks into your establishment and says, “Dissatisfy me now”. So you have to deliver Great Theater every day whether you feel like it or not.

When you perfect the delivery of the script, you perfect your performance. Break down your customer experience, act it like you mean it, and deliver Great Theater. For example:

ACT ONE. Scene One.

 The Customer enters from offstage.

SERVICE PROVIDER: “Good afternoon, how may I help you?”

Motivation: Never say “May I help you?” If the customer is standing in front of you, he obviously needs help or he would have bypassed you completely.

CUSTOMER: “I believe I have a reservation. Last name is Smith.”

SERVICE PROVIDER: “Yes, Mr. Smith, we’ve been expecting you. Welcome to The Best.”

Direction: Maintain eye contact for at least seven seconds and smile as you say your lines.

Motivation:

  • As Dale Carnegie says in his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” So start with the customer’s name.
  • What do you think is the very first question running through the mind of a customer when coming up to an airline counter, front desk, host stand, or reception desk? That question is, “I wonder if they have my reservation?” So to establish a great first impression, incorporate this statement into your welcome, “We’ve been expecting you.” It immediately removes that mental dissatisfier and puts the customer at ease.
  • Follow that up with the name of your business.

Let it all flow together.

“Mr. Smith” (you’re very important to us). “We’ve been expecting you.” (No need to worry about your reservation. We have it.) “Welcome to . . .” (Where did Mr. Smith feel the most comfortable in interacting with a company? With you, of course. )

Define each scene in the customer experience and practice it often offstage. Never practice on the customer. Role-play with your colleagues. Then perform your role so well that all your customers say to themselves and others that your service was the best they have enjoyed in a long time. And when you deliver that kind of Great Theater performance consistently, you will build repeat business and customer loyalty.   

QUI QUOTE: GREAT Service is GREAT Theater. Don’t fake it till you make it. Act it like you mean it. Don’t be just good. Be GREAT out there!  

#customerservice #customerexperience #custserv #custexp #cx

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Dave Edward

On a mission to change the culture of sales; for businesses & customers alike - Discover how to Convert more prospects; quicker | Simplify your sales process & Increase your profits.

3mo

I like this Bill as it demonstrates perfectly the value of making every interaction valuable and personal. Customers will leave feeling the same as the audience did after a great performance.

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Andre Williams

CEO and Co-Founder at Optevo

3mo

An interesting analogy here Bill. Your insights into these relationships with customers, as well as how people within the organization, have more to take to mind. Not 'faking it' as you mentioned, is one of the best advices. Trying to fake things cannot be retained over time, or aligned on the specific ideas. Keeping your customer services in areas where it can be aligned and made creative is an excellent way to make it truly teach customers in ways they accept and appreciated.

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Dr. Arshad (Ash) Husain Ph.D.

CHAIRMAN♈TIPS - THE INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES & 🌍FWP - FOUNDATION FOR WORLD PEACE🔺🎤 INTL' LINKEDIN SPEAKER & AUTHOR🔺CAREER & JOB PLACING🔺LEADERSHIP & BUSINESS COACH🔺HEALTH & WELLNESS EXPERT🔺ADVERT & BRANDS

3mo

Very helpful and insightful indeed Bill Quiseng

Vipin Pandey

Leadership Enthusiast | Crafting Content for Emerging Leaders & Professionals | US Insurance | Service Delivery Manager | AIC |

3mo

Very informative

Dr. Anthony Chukwuma

Author, Service Culture & CX Strategist, High Performance Business Lead, Brand Development Coach, Business Strategy & Transformation, Peoples Mgt, Conference Speaker etc.

3mo

Great Bill, Thank you so much for saying it the way it is. It is not an option but a choice that brands have to make to always deliver that impactful and superlative service that delights the customers. There is always a reward in instituting great service culture this manifest of course in the reaping of the loyalty advantage and returns on investment. Continue as always to impact the world 🌎 with your exposition.

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