Is your Customer Care bank account in credit?
With the credit crunch biting many of us are keeping a close eye on our bank accounts lest they go into the red. If you do, be prepared for a hefty fine from the bank.
But what about our customer care bank account?
It’s a clever analogy really because it really helps us to focus on continuous good customer care. Let me explain
Last month I was on business in Ipswich and stopped off at a Travel Lodge just outside of town on the ring road. The next morning I had to be in the centre of town for a 9am start. So how do I get into the centre of a very old city? Drive? Train? Bus?
No I thought I’d try the Park and Ride.
And what a surprise. Easy to get to off the ring road with its own dedicated slip lane. Free and plenty of parking. A modern station where you could buy your ticket using credit cards and at only £2.80 return, a major bargain compared with parking costs and petrol. A smart, modern and clean bus turned up every ten minutes and whisked you into the city centre within 10 minutes as this lucky new bus had its own bus lane. How cool. Especially when I watched all those angry drivers cooped up in their cars on the journey in.
I hopped off the bus and they’ve even thought of this. The exit was exactly the same level as the pavement so no hopping required. Brilliant.
And I was at my venue for 8.15 refreshed and ready for the day.
Ipswich Park and Ride has their customer care bank account well in credit.
Expecting an equally pleasant ride home I was mistaken. Road works meant the bus-stop had been re-sited but no one had told the bus driver this as he sped past us all waiting at the temporary stop. Very frustrating. So I trudged to the next stop to catch the next one. On the way out, there was no bus lane so it took double the time to get to the station.
But do you know what? I didn’t mind. Yes these were problems; some would say deal breakers, but the park and ride were well in credit with me and I let these two items flow over me. If they hadn’t built up a credit, I doubt if I would be as so lenient.
The lesson. Make sure you always keep your customer care bank account in credit and your customers might let you off the odd slip.
Would I use the Park and idea again? You bet I would.
