National Customer Service Week puts the spotlight on excellence
Coordinated by the Institute of Customer Service, National Customer Service Week kicks off today and runs until Friday. It’s essentially a five-day window with various opportunities to raise awareness of the role customer service plays in business success, whilst also celebrating frontline staff, boosting morale, and educating around the importance of great customer service excellence in any sector.
The themes of this year’s special week align closely with understanding the needs of customers. For example, there will be a focus on the role of AI, fostering cultures of respect, and delivering on promises when it comes to behaviours and transparency.
What it means for hospitality and catering businesses
The themes over this week all closely impact the UK’s hospitality and catering sectors, especially at a time when the spotlight continues to shine on both industries due to recent high-profile changes in legislation and, of course, the ongoing challenges around recruiting and retaining the best people in both customer-facing roles, or behind the scenes.
With us all expecting excellence time and time again, this focus on customer services comes at a good time as hospitality and catering businesses gear up for the demanding festive season, both in terms of standards and staffing.
With this in mind, if staff are engaged correctly, this week really does help to bring home the importance of meeting the needs of customers. The likes of restaurants and pubs know they need to be responsive to those needs, especially around quality, communication, value for money and service which meets expectations.
But being realistic, things don’t always go to plan. It’s at these moments when customer service is vital if expectations haven’t been met, and turning a negative around. Good practice here revolves around resolving issues mutually and if a mistake has been made, admitting it to the customer and fixing it proactively, which often means money off, or a free or cheaper return visit. Going the extra mile when there’s a negative experience really can help to turn a situation around, but it needs staff to be given freedom within a framework and a feeling that they have the flexibility to think quickly, working closely with management who trust their judgement.
It’s an opportunity!
More than anything, this week represents an amazing opportunity to take time out for quality and focused conversations with frontline staff. It puts a much-needed focus on the service customers expect, to celebrate what’s brilliant, and to address the areas where those in the hospitality and catering sectors can improve.
Making time with key staff this week really can make a big difference. Carving out that time relies on commitment from leaders and managers, and if done correctly over the long term, they will reap the commercial and reputational benefits.
For those who want to know more about National Customer Service Week, you can visit https://www.instituteofcustomerservice.com/events/ncsw/
If you would like to talk to us about recruiting customer service staff for your hospitality or catering business, then you can get in touch here.
