The Tribune

By IAN FERGUSON THE BAHAMAS since the 1950s has been hailed a hospitality nation. We boast of the fact that each year five million visitors come to our shores to enjoy the 'Bahamian Experience'. We have been in the business of hospitality for some time now, and should have all our 't's' crossed and our 'i's' dotted. No one will deny that we have severe customer service gaps in our country. The warmth and friendly temperament that we once embraced as a people has sadly become merely an illusion. We talk service day in and day out, and we often deceive ourselves into thinking that we have it right. Perhaps in pockets of corporate Bahamas we do have a handle on service standards. However, overwhelmingly we have a long way to go. Sometimes we don't pay close enough attention to the severity of our calamitous situation. Maybe these questions will bring to light the truth of our state. When last did you visit a medical facility locally and receive the 'Blow Away Experience'? Have you ever walked into a government office and received service that was 'Above and Beyond'? How often do you visit a local fast food restaurant and get the 'WOW Factor'? Is it regular practice to visit the various utility corporations and get 'Added Value'? Nothing that I have said thus far is new to anyone living in the Bahamas. We have heard it all before. Some of us who have studied social behaviour can even point to the period in our history when this apparent disregard and abhorrence for service excellence crept in. We know who the guilty perpetrators are, and many of us have great insight as to how to begin the process of addressing these issues, yet our predicament worsens each year. I have begun to seriously question our corporate commitment to delivering service to, and above, the standard. We are generally viewed as a passive, laid back people who do not normally create a great fuss about anything. The Chamber Voice challenges every manager, business owner, company executive, entrepreneur and service professional in this country: Service Excellence must not be the exception. It is time for us to be disgusted every time we see individuals and companies delivering less than acceptable service. We have walked out of the door with the wry smile and a feeling of discontent far too much. The time has come for us to expect more and hold ourselves and each other accountable. Every business prepared to join this fight should: * Listen often to the voice of your customers. Companies who have not created a platform for your customers to be heard will eventually become extinct. We really don't care how great your chicken in the bag is if you can't respect our basic rights as consumers. Where are your comment cards? Do you have a secret shopping program? What about a suggestion box? Can I go to your Facebook page or blog and leave comments about your products and services? Come, come, let's get with it! * Enact company policies that support service excellence. Leaders must in practice and policy support the delivery of great service by persons on the front line. For example, when a bank insists through its written policy that customers are served within five minutes from the time they arrive at the counter, and 20 minutes from the time they enter the door, then we know how serious they are about service. Outside of this, you jokin'! * Provide training initiatives that create a platform for great service to thrive. Only employees who are empowered with the right skills, attitudes, competencies and product knowledge can deliver great service. If training is still optional in your organisation, YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS!!! * Reward excellent service providers, and hold accountable with subsequent disciplinary measures those who fail to meet the service standards. For every action, there must be a reaction. When the employee consistently performs above average in the service environment, someone ought to take notice and reward accordingly. Likewise, if you allow the customer service misfit to remain on the frontline and refuse to address their incompetence, YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS!!! * Have a service recovery plan, and ensure that no customer leaves dissatisfied. It would be nice to get it right the first time, but realistically speaking, sometimes things go wrong. Everyone on the team should know the suitable response because it is policy, and steps should be taken to eradicate recurring issues. The Chamber Institute provides customised Talent Management and Customer Service Programs to companies of any size. Contact Latoya Swain at lswain@thebahamaschamber.com or 322.2145 for FREE private consultancy today! * NB: About the author Ian R. Ferguson has a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Miami. During the course of his nearly 20 years in education, talent management and human resources, he has served both the public and private sector. He currently serves as manager of the Chamber Institute.