Seven Service Sins

By Nick Marsh

What not to do under any circumstances if you want to deliver a great service experience:

1. Shame

Never, ever, make people feel embarrassed for something they’ve done. Great service requires the goodwill of both the server and the served. We’ve all been in a situation where we’ve done something stupid by mistake so cut the customer some slack, and never make them feel ashamed.

2. Sloth

Always avoid making people wait, especially if there’s a problem to fix. It can be hard to manage waiting times. People (and problems) always seem to turn up whenever they please, not when you expect them to. If you find yourself with too many customers all wanting attention, give yourself a pat on the back and step on the accelerator!

3. Silence

Always tell people what’s going on. If there is a problem let them know. We’re all more forgiving when we know what the situation is, and what’s being done to fix it.

4. Shifting

Don’t blame problems on someone else, or even worse, ‘the system.’ Shifting responsibility may get you off the hook in the short term, but customers aren’t stupid - they’ll jump up the chain of command and then jump ship.

5. Spin

Don’t tell people you can when you can’t. Over promising and under delivering is damaging to your relationships with customers, and to your bottom line. Managing expectations is a careful balancing act, but if you over exaggerate you’re sure to trip up.

6. (un)Simple

Keep it simple, stupid. No one likes to feel confused by technical systems, and no one enjoys the experience of feeling lost in a process. Put people (including staff) first and ‘the system’ second - You’ll find your customers reward you for it.

7. Suppose

You don’t know me yet, and don’t forget it! Everyone hates it when people make assumptions about them: “you don’t look like you can understand this” or “you don’t look like you can afford that.” Arrogance is always unattractive, and rarely forgiven.