Mary Portas’ report on the future of our high streets is published today and it makes for interesting reading.  All in all there are 28 recommendations in the report covering parking, business rates, opportunities for start-ups and markets.

Maybe unexpectedly, Mary doesn’t lay the blame for the decline of the high street at the large out of town shopping complexes but sees it as a case of how our high streets haven’t adapted quickly to change.  Our high streets are in serious decline with less and less people choosing to shop there and 1 in 6 shops are left standing empty.  Our expectations as shoppers have changed – it isn’t just about price – we’re looking for more… a better experience, and the harsh reality is that the high street isn’t delivering.

This isn’t the first review of the high street, there have been many in the past but hopefully Mary’s wealth of retail and consumer experience will make this a report that people will stop and listen to. In her report we’re challenged to reclaim the high street that our community needs through creating a  town team  – government, shopkeepers, landlords, local councils and shoppers  - to listen to what the community needs, to work together and to be flexible in finding solutions.

I think Mary’s report can be summed up in three words –

Local – it’s all about taking local action

Community – serving the needs of the community

Collaboration – groups of people coming together to make it happen

I think it would be wonderful to see every town, village, and suburb with a thriving and diverse high street – serving the needs of the community. It’s not about offering the same as the out of town shopping centres but about having a social purpose.

What are your thoughts about Mary Portas Review?

To read the full report click here

Recently I had to spend rather a long time on the telephone to Bank of America, an hour and a half actually which by anybody’s standards is a long time.  The saving grace was that although I was calling from the UK I had been put through by their UK switchboard so the cost was much lower than it might have been.

The reason the call took that amount of time is because my query resulted in me speaking to three different people and holding several times.  So you may think why am I not berating Bank of America for keeping me on the phone and taking such a long time to find an answer to my problem?

Here’s why. My call was initially taken by the UK switchboard who explained that they only deal with corporate banking in the UK but offered to transfer me to personal banking in the USA.

When the call was answered in the USA the lady introduced herself, I’ll call her Miss C and after establishing  the nature of my problem explained that ‘she would need to speak to someone in a different department and would I mind holding?’ after a few minutes she came back and brought a third party, Miss S,  into the conversation  who explained that my situation was quite unique and I would need to speak to yet another department.  At that point she excused herself from the conversation and wished me good luck in finding a solution.

Back with Miss C who said she would be transferring me to the new department but she would stay on the line with me so that I wouldn’t have to keep repeating the issue, and she did.  The whole time that I was on the phone I didn’t once feel that they had forgotten me or cut me off and I never had to repeat myself.

Now it did take a long time to establish the correct course of action and the problem is not yet resolved.  I have to send a letter and some documentation and hopefully my problem will be sorted out satisfactorily.  But I do have names and direct telephone numbers for the people that I will be sending the letter to, and I also have the name and direct telephone number of the lady who sorted it all out on the phone for me.  Whatever happens I won’t have to start from scratch all over again. 

So Bank of America get my vote for great customer service for:

1.  Demonstrating concern by transferring my call and not just telling me to call the USA office direct.

2. Handling my call with continuity, never just passing me on to someone else without explaining the issue.

3. Being happy to give me their full names and direct telephone numbers so that I can get back in contact easily if I should have any further problems.

Yes, it would have be great if my problem could have been resolved more quickly and without so much red tape but Bank of America’s customer service has made it easier to accept that it will take the time it takes.

What’s your view on how they handled my call?

With the relentless march on our towns by the large supermarkets, the time has arrived for the smaller and independent business to fight back and reclaim their customers.  How are they going to do this?  Well, going head to head against the big boys and selling identical products at more expensive prices isn’t going to do it.  They need to offer something different, maybe local products/produce that aren’t stocked by the supermarkets, free delivery or how about really friendly customer service?  Something sadly lacking in most of the big name stores.

I’m attracted to use a shop where I’m greeted with a smile, where help is offered and on hand if I need it, where maybe they recognise me and know my name, where they are happy to chat about my needs and if they can’t meet them immediately are happy to offer a solution e.g. “we don’t have them in stock but I’m happy to see if we can get them for you” .

When I was small I remember that my local high street shops used to be like that.  They knew my mum and me, and when I was old enough to be trusted to pop to the shop by myself on an errand the shopkeeper recognised me and was able to made sure that I bought the right thing because he knew that’s what my mum usually bought.  That’s customer service for you.

Now we live in a different era, one where sadly it may not be safe to let our children pop to the shops by themselves, but I still hanker after those days, where every shopkeeper seemed like a friend.  Don’t get me wrong, supermarkets have their place but I would like to see some balance returned to our shopping community. I hope that the customer focused independent shops find their niche and stage a comeback onto our high streets.

How friendly is your high street?

Ever wondered what makes the difference to your customer, it might be something as small as a welcoming smile, to going the extra mile for them, but the fact is that it doesn’t always have to take an enormous effort to make your customers happy. The recommendations that we’ve received recently for some businesses that have made their customers so happy that they’ve thought to tell us about it confirm that.

Online Paper Co. this comes to our attention from  Richard’s Gallery who recommends them because  they not only know what they’re talking about they’re very friendly with it.  

Oxmarket Centre of Arts  in Chichester .  They have also been recommended by Richard’s Gallery  because they really helped him out.  

Think Automotive in Isleworth.  They are recommended by @DavePhillips01 , who was impressed when a part he had ordered at mid day arrived the next morning, very prompt service.

Zizzi in Woking. Recommended by  TidyTraysUK  “I was heading out for dinner with a friend of mine, (first time she had been out since she had had her daughter) and we decided to head into Woking.  Knowing that Zizzis gets a bit busy in the evening I phoned ahead to book at table.  I was asked on the phone if it was a special occasion – I said “no, just two mums who hardly ever get out together” and laughed. Well, we arrived at Zizzis that evening, sat down to eat and the waiter brought over 2 glasses of fizz.  He just said “here’s a drink for the mums who hardly ever get out, on the house” – we were beaming – how lovely was that.  I think this is a wonderful thing for Zizzis to do – its cost them next to nothing, and I have told pretty much everyone I have met – love it”

Haskins Garage Ltd in Wroughton.  Recommended by @dw_taylor . Great service from Haskins, they looked after my wife and repaired the car faster than they promised. Will recommend.

It is reassuring to know that customers do appreciate it when a business lives up to its promises and especially when they exceed their expectations. As ever we are very grateful to everyone who has taken the time to let us know about a business that they think deserves some recognition.

If you would like to share a good customer experience come over to our page on Facebook and post on our wall, or tweet us, it will be appreciated.

Have you been WOW-ed lately?

Big businesses talk about how they believe in customer service but how often do they deliver anything that goes beyond the ordinary.  Unfortunately, all too often customer service has come to mean simply getting what you pay for, so I was delighted to hear about a company who are trying to do things differently.  The other week I met up with Mike Williams, who is passionate about customer service and together with the rest of the team at Malmaison and Hotel du Vin is on a mission to WOW their guests.    

Just over a year ago the hotel group introduced the idea of WOW and it’s gone from strength to strength. The idea behind WOW is quite simply to empower the staff to treat their guests as real people.  It’s not just a case of one size fits all but rather everyone is asked to think about every customer as an individual and to think about what they can do to make their visit to the hotel a memorable one.

It’s not rocket science

Anyone can WOW a guest, so it doesn’t matter if you work behind the scenes in the Kitchen, Room Service, Maintenance or on the front desk at Reception you can get involved.  These are some examples of the kinds of WOWs that have been happening:

• spotting a broken wheel on a guest’s suitcase and fixing it
• writing out a recipe for someone who loved a pudding on the menu
• noticing someone constantly checking their phone and after finding out they were waiting for someone who’d been delayed – sending them over a free pot of tea to have while they wait.
• carefully selecting a complimentary cheese tasting for a group – where the cheeses had all been carefully chosen based on the food tastes of each of the guests.

You could say that none of these are rocket science but that’s just the thing it doesn’t have to be – it’s all about showing consideration and quite often the little things mean the most as anyone who has ever gone to empty the dishwasher and found it’s already been emptied will know.

Rewarding WOWs

WOWs are important things at Malmaison and every time a member of staff genuinely wows a customer it’s noticed and commented on. WOWs are even a regular discussion topic at the board table. They pick and reward a WOW of the week, a WOW of the month, there’s even a WOW award and later in the year there’s a special WOW draw where one lucky employee will win a trip to New York.

Of course the team behind WOW are hoping the idea will bring in more people, more guests- and I’m happy to say that it’s working for them. It’s great to see the company really is putting customer service on the menu and is serious about wanting to make a difference.

When were you last wowed by good customer service? What was your last hotel experience like?

Caring experts

I don’t know about you but for me it has felt like a long winter but today sitting at my desk I can see blue skies and sunshine. Fabulous!

Sadly, a close friend of mine has been through a rather black and bleak weekend and so I hope the sunshine is helping her today.  Last week she took her cat to the vet, and only a couple of days later on Thursday, she had the very distressing news that her cat was very ill and so took the tough decision to put her pet to sleep.  She asked me if I’d go with her for some support.

It was a very sad occasion but through it all the vet was wonderful.  She was supportive, caring and patiently answered questions as my friend struggled to come to terms with making a decision.  She didn’t rush her and gave her plenty of time to say goodbye.  I watched her gently deal with a very sick animal as well as an already grieving owner who was losing her pet.

Customer care at its best  - looking after 2 customers and at a very emotional and difficult time. So often we don’t talk about difficult times – but it’s wonderful and comforting to know that we have caring experts out there.

Thank you to Jo at Sunninghill Veterinary Centre

The good old days

The other day I was laughing with a friend as we chatted about the ‘good old days’.  It all started when she showed me her new iPhone4, and of course we began to reminisce about the early mobiles.  Remember those bricks we used to carry around with us?  How things have changed. Of course, the bricks have long since been replaced with lighter, slimmer mobile phones that do so much more than just make or receive phone calls.  What about the video recorder?  Where has that gone?  Well, that’s been replaced by the DVD player or Sky Plus – better picture quality and, in the case of Sky Plus, records a whole television series with one click.

While there are places and businesses that continue to provide excellent service and customer care, sadly, unlike some gadgets it seems that change has not always been for the better, at least not where service is concerned.

Whatever happened to?

We know that supermarkets move products around the store – they try not to do it often, but it happens.  You can go in one week and almost put your hands on your favourite brand of biscuits with your eyes closed.  Then the next time you go in they’ve moved them.  Or, how about the day you’ve decided to try out a new recipe which calls for that one ‘fancy’ ingredient you don’t have in your store cupboard.  You ask the supermarket assistant where such and such product is and they point into the distance and say something like “try aisle 10” or “it’s next to the pickled onions”.

Whatever happened to the assistant who would physically take you there, show you the product and then ask if there was anything else they could do to help you?

Oh, and there’s something else I miss – hot water.  Whenever I ordered a pot of tea somewhere it was pretty much always accompanied by a pot of hot water.  Whatever happened to that  pot of hot water?

So, that’s some of the things I miss, but what about you?  What do you miss? Please let me know.

Online shopping

These days it’s so easy to go the internet and buy stuff, whatever that stuff may be; from TVs and washing machines to cosmetics, books and pet food. But this convenience comes at a price.  Stores are being forced to close their doors permanently due to the fall off in sales and the most recent victim is Borders, an American bookstore chain.

For the last few years retailers have found themselves in a tough fight, up against the growing popularity of e-commerce and the willingness of shoppers to buy online. It’s cheaper because the online stores don’t have the overheads and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home.

The physical v online experience

For me though, the downside of online shopping is that I can’t see the actual product, I have to make do with a photograph.  If I don’t have a detailed understanding of the product I’m buying there is no one to ask, I can’t try before I buy.  When it arrives, if it doesn’t meet my needs I have the hassle of arranging for it to be collected and ensuring that the money is credited back to my account etc.  There is also the added danger that it may be a fraudulent website and that I won’t receive my goods at all.

Yet we still buy online and the numbers are on the increase.  So, why do we do it?  In my case it’s because over the last few years when I go to a store I have become so disillusioned by the often apathetic attitude of the staff who appear not to care about me as a customer and make no effort to help me find the right product for my needs.  All these issues have been highlighted recently by Mary Portas in her Secret Shopper series on Channel 4.

It’s all about added value

So if the retailers want to survive they need to start adding value to the physical shopping experience, and one of the most obvious ways is to provide customer service that is second to none.  Staff that want to engage with customers, who know and understand the products they are selling, can listen to your requirements and will help you find a solution that meets your needs.  These are all things that would make me want to go back to shopping in store.

Do you shop online more than in store?  What added value would you like to see retailers provide that would improve the physical shopping experience for you?

www.findgoodcustomerservice.com

Tipping

A couple of days ago I went to Pizza Express for lunch, it’s my favourite place for pizza, but sadly not for service.  Trying to gain someone’s attention to come and take our order after we had been waiting for 10 minutes, I saw 5 staff and not one of them was looking towards the diners, so trying to gain eye contact was something of a challenge.

When it came to paying the bill we automatically added 15% on as a tip for service, but it made me think about the tipping culture in the UK.  Why do we tip?  What is the tip for? So I conducted a little research amongst my friends and the results were quite surprising.

Why do we do it?

It seems that when it comes to taxis, very often they tell them to keep the change because they feel that it’s expected and there is an element of inferred intimidation.  The driver may be slow to hand the change back and they feel embarrassed standing there with their hand out.  One friend said that it in those instances it was just easier to let them keep the change.  However, when drivers are pleasant and friendly, open the door and help with bags etc. they willingly add on a tip as they feel that the driver has earned something extra.

Hairdressers – again it seems to be that they think it is expected that they leave a tip, and if they don’t the staff will think they are mean and may not give them a good cut next time.

In restaurants, again it is an automatic response, but the amount varies considerably froma standard £1.50 to 15%, but I didn’t speak to anyone who would consider leaving more than 15%.

The one consistent factor in all of my conversations was that there didn’t seem to be any common understanding of why we tip and what we expect in return for the tip.

In the USA the tipping culture is different, certainly when it comes to restaurants.  From my time there I realised that they have a clear understanding that the staff are on minimum wage and without tips they would receive a zero rated payslip at the end of the month after all the deductions.  So they work for their tips – to us it may seem that the level of service is a little ‘in your face’ at times, but when eating out there I never had to leave my table to find a member of staff to ask for some water, or utensils – sadly I’ve had to do that for both reasons more than once here.

I’m really curious to understand more about tipping.  Why do we do it? Who do we tip? How much is appropriate? What do we expect for our tip?

Your thoughts and comments on this would be really helpful.

Last Friday I went out for a meal with some friends to a local restaurant in Dorking called, Little Dudley House.  This was going to be the first restaurant outing of the New Year and also the first since I’d started watching Michel Roux’s Service on BBC 2.

I’ve enjoyed watching the programme, and probably like a lot of other people was glued to last night’s final.  I love Michel’s view on what good customer service is. He believes it’s all about being a good part of someone’s day and looking after your customer like they are part of your family.  The series has shown how sometimes things can go horribly wrong but that if you smile, stay polite and continue to put the customer first you’ll be forgiven a great deal.  I reckon that applies to any industry.

So how was my meal out?  It was a great evening with plenty of time to chat and relax. The staff were attentive (without being pushy), friendly, welcoming and the food was just wonderful. For me though the true test of whether I’ve had good service and feel like I’ve been looked after as part of the family is whether I would go back and would I recommend the place to my friends.

So would I recommend Little Dudley House ?  Yes I would and I’m already looking forward to going back.

www.findgoodcustomerservice.com