"Undercover Customers" on the Hunt for
Great Service
Providing
outstanding service takes a tremendous amount of energy and concentration.
Sometimes, however, we are so focused on our particular responsibilities
that we tend to overlook things which are obvious and easy to find,
yet potentially harmful to the goal of customer satisfaction.
Having a third-party observe the situation often reveals simple
yet significant things that, if not rectified, will lead to customer
dissatisfaction.
Sensor Quality Management Inc. (SQM) is a Canadian
company that offers just that. They specialize in providing a third-party
evaluation of service from a customer's perspective for hospitality
related businesses - hotels, restaurants, banquet halls.
Their "undercover customers" will visit a business and
go through the process of buying or inquiring about a product or
service. As they do this, they take detailed notes about everything.
The appearance of the building and the offices, chipped dinnerware
in a restaurant, the state of employee uniforms, potentially dangerous
equipment, and anything else tht will impact on the perception a
customer forms when they patronize a business.
"If the wrong impression is created," says Creaig Henry,
SQM Co-founder, "customers will take their money elsewhere
the next time."
The next customer you serve might be from SQM, or the person on
the telephone may be the one. You'll never know. But the information
that SQM provides about the things that really bug customers or
the things that help them form negative impressions will help you
and your company develop solutions that work toward achieving 100%
customer satisfaction.
For more information about SQM please call (416) 256-9597. |