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I travel most weeks and am committed to a healthy lifestyle, which means that I spend a bit of time in hotel gyms.
Recently I was in a wonderful hotel in Dubai and their gymnasium was first class. Employees were allocated to the gym to support guests with their workouts and maintain the comfort and cleanliness of the facilities. It was 5.30 on this morning, and I was walking out of the stretch area after my 30-minute workout, headed to the lift, when the friendly staff member at the gym’s front desk said, ‘Good morning, miss. How many kilometres did you run today?’
The question stopped me in my tracks, firstly because I couldn’t believe I looked like I was a runner (I am not) and secondly, because I just wasn’t expecting it! That question showed that he was interested in my progress and the result of my workout… and that interest felt like care.
Being interested in your customers’ experience, their progress and their challenges, is a wonderful attitude to instil in your teams.
Another way of thinking about ‘being interested’ is ‘being curious’. I once heard it said by Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Big Magic and other beautiful number-one best-selling books) that if you’re not curious, you are walking dead.
A little while ago ServiceQ completed the training for Melbourne Airports’ award-winning, customised traveller experience program Stepping Forward. Its teachings include seven commitments that each employee at Melbourne Airport is invited to live by each day when they come to work. It’s a hugely successful program, and we are loving the stories and transformation unfolding. One of the commitments is Be interested. Such a powerful commitment to instil in the hearts and minds of employees who are in the service business.
Be interested in your customers. Their challenges, their experience and in my case, their workout.
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