Sing Song Sing Along - 'Say My Name Say My Name'

I visited Pablo’s the coffee shop at the newly opened Best Western Premier Hotel in Hurlingham this past Monday. I’d been looking for a quiet place to sit and get some pending work out of the way and was curious to see what this new hotel had to offer. After being shown to a seat at the bar that was next to a power socket that I needed for my laptop, I was warmly welcomed by a waitstaff named Evans with such a genuine smile. He promptly asked what my name was and on telling him, proceeded to talk to me like a long lost friend, addressing me by name each time. After ordering some tea, one of his colleagues brought it round to my side of the bar and asked after my comfort. She too addressed me by name. I fleetingly wondered if they had some secret code thing going for I hadn't seen them converse and here she was, magically appearing by my side addressing me by name.

So for starters, being a long serving practitioner in the customer service arena, I was very well aware of the ‘tricks’ they were up to and their deliberate intention to  address me by name to  make me, a complete stranger, feel at home. I was therefore rather surprised at why a warm fuzzy feeling was creeping up on me and why I was feeling like Bwana Evans and his team were my fast friends. The level of our conversation also lifted a notch, from staff-customer to friend-friend. And when at lunch time I wasn't too sure exactly what I wanted to eat and Evans was trying to convince me to eat what he declared were simply marvelous chicken skewers, the conversation was such a friendly banter. I eventually passed over the recommendation and chose to have the soup instead. When clearing away my crockery, a new waitstaff who had come in on a different shift, asked me by name if I had enjoyed my meal. I was pretty impressed by their specific effort to create no barrier service. I am most definitely going to be a regular there.

So – what’s in a name? If the die-hard customer service professional in me was warmed by this encounter, what then? Why are names so special? Why is it said that the sound of one’s name is like music to their ears? What makes a name so special? Daniel Scocco captures this quite adequately when he posits  that “There is one word, that would catch your attention even if it was uttered by someone far away, passing through your filters (well, one word except “Fire!”). It is your name. That’s right; your name is the most important word in the universe for you. Did you ever turn your head involuntarily to someone that uttered your name, only to find out that he was actually calling someone else? When that happens to me I just think “Oh, another Daniel.” It is a weird experience nonetheless.”

So there you have it – your name is magical. You love it. It makes you feel important. People who get it right assume a new level of importance in your life. And the common wisdom that postulates that you need to treat the customer as you’d like to be treated, directly translates into addressing your customers by name. Make a specific deliberate effort to remember your customers’ names. 

Many people profess that they have difficulty in retaining and remembering people’s names, but as we say in customer service, if something is important to your customer and as a result therefore important to your business, then you will make a special effort to get it done. If this means using all the tricks in the book (and indeed they are many – we can make this the subject of another blog post) to remember names, then so be it – do what it takes. Create that song, that music to your customer’s ears and address them by name, all the time. Then see what happens. I await your feedback.

Fire Fire Fire!

We had a discussion this past Sunday with a colleague about Fire. A speaker had been talking about Fire being a good thing, something that flares up and causes one to rise up and be moved. And that when there’s Fire, there’s no peace and no peace creates action action action. He asserted that the Fires that we've experienced in our lives, shape us, mould us, make us and prepare us to fight and conquer even bigger Fires to come.

My colleague’s take on the matter was that Fire is destruction. Fire burns, brings down things, and causes devastation. And that even in the days of old, Fire was used to wipe out undesired elements, people, cities and generations.

So my question today is - what is Fire? Is Fire a good thing or a bad thing? Or does it all depend on how you look at it and what lenses you see it through?

Fire could be that stirring flame in your belly that burns and galvanizes you into action. It could be that Fiery passion that spins your soul and makes you unstoppable in your quest to follow your dreams.

Fire could also be an angry burning. One that makes one take up sword against a neighbour to avenge a wrong. Fire could be danger, a burning barricade that stands in the way, preventing one from rushing head-first into their doom. A Fire circle placed around a camp of pitched tents in the wilderness, keeps the danger of wild animals away at night. Fire too causes transformation. From the hunger of wild brush and raw meat, to the spit of roasting barbeque and potted vegetable.

Is it Fire burning in our hearts that has one stand up against one’s enemy? Fire that wouldn't let peace be until that injustice is put down?

I steal this phrase when I say the 20^th Century Kenyan Philosopher Juliani  in his famous piece Utawala says ‘Niko Tayari Kulipa Garama - Sitasimama Maovu Yakitawala’ – ‘ I am ready to pay the price, I will not stand by as evil reigns’ Is this his Fire?

What’s your Fire? Whether in evil or good stance, what’s your Fire? What is it that burns hard for you, making you not go down that route that you know without a doubt is going to burn you into tiny charred flakes? Or what is it that burns within you, lighting up that flame that gives you light and hope and sizzles up the desire to make a difference in the best way you know how?

Feel the Fire! And whatever message it burns and brands you with – Follow It. And Follow it NOW!

Could a Teeny Weeny Little Little Loo Tip the Scale……..?

At about 4pm my 4 year old son and I passed by Capital Centre shopping mall to pick up a few items on the way home from school. As we walked toward the supermarket, he said the one thing that Moms dread to hear from their little ones while out in public places – “Mum, my stomach is pressing and I need to go to the toilet and poo”.   I immediately attempt to defer the proposed activity and ask him in my most hopeful voice if he thinks he can hold just a little, so that we can dash into the supermarket, pick up the things and run home to use the toilet there. But even as I ask, I look into his eyes and know that he is most sincere when he shakes his head to confirm that indeed he cannot wait.

And so we change course and troop towards the washrooms to deal with our current change in circumstances first, and then proceed on our initial mission. As we get to the washroom area, I tell my son that we’ll need to go to the ladies washroom, so that I can help him use the toilet properly. He promptly declines this proposal and says to me, that he won’t get into the ‘girls’ toilet. I patiently explain why this once we need to get into the ‘girls’ toilet as his need is not a simple quick pee and go matter and he needs my help to use the toilet. Much to my consternation, he once again says no, he will not get into the ‘girls’ toilet. And that boys are not supposed to go to the ‘girls’ toilet, and how in school, Teacher Consolata tells them that boys should only go to the boys toilet and not go to the ‘girls’ toilet as it is not allowed.

With the all powerful name of Teacher Consolata invoked, I know without a doubt that I have lost that battle completely, and that no attempt to enrol him in my camp would be remotely successful. So I ask him what he thinks we should do, and he quickly tells me that boys are supposed to go to the boys toilet and that I could take him there if I would like to help him.  I think about this proposal for a second, coupled with his shifting from one foot to the other and make the quick decision that a parent’s got to do what a parent’s got to do, and that if my hallowed duty of motherhood so richly bestowed upon me requires that I go to the gents to help out my little one then so be it, duty calls………

And so I swing open the gents’ toilet door and march in with my little one in tow. The collective gasps from the occupants of the gents’ room and their shocked stares of surprise have my cloak of determined mother-on-a-toilet-assisting-mission fall off and pool on the floor. As I open my mouth to offer an explanation as to what exactly it is I am doing there, I see the kind face of the cleaning assistant looking at me in sympathy. This good gentleman God bless his heart offers to assist. I weigh this offer of assistance against the alien feeling of being a green grasshopper in the middle of brown locusts and decide to work as best possible with what I have. So I explain to my good Samaritan(and ensure my son is listening as I figure should he forget something the little one will pipe up), that he needs to wash his hands thoroughly first, and then wipe down the toilet rim thoroughly with the pack of sanitized wipes I have given him, then line the inside of the bowl with a huge wad of toilet paper to ensure no splashing, cover the toilet rim with toilet paper and then assist my son to squat atop without any parts of his body touching the toilet. After which he is to help him wipe his bottom in a front to back motion until clean then they can flush, wash their hands thoroughly and exit. With a look akin to what may be given to one who has had a temporary loss of their senses, this good gentleman nods and the two of them proceed inside. I stand outside the main door waiting anxiously whilst staring down  all the gentlemen giving me strange looks wondering why I am camped outside ‘their door’

As I wait outside as close to the door as possible, many thoughts run through my mind. I start to wonder why it is I am suffering like this, handing over my son to a complete stranger, trusting that he will be good and assist as best possible. I also start to wonder what other mums do with their little boys. I start to think as well, about fathers and what they do when their little daughters need to go to the toilet for I haven’t ever met any gentlemen doing his fatherly duty and bringing in his daughter to the ladies’ room. I couldn’t fathom the idea of a father taking his little girl to the gents’ room either. I made a mental note to ask my friends who are fathers how they overcome this challenge and what solutions they have sought when the need has arisen. The thought occurred to me as well that the persons who design shopping malls, restaurants and other public places frequented by little people may not be fathers and mothers and if actually so, they mustn't have been sufficiently jolted to include a washroom solution for little ones.

I have seen one of these though in a top tier hospital locally, where specific washrooms have been set aside in the outpatient area with the sign ‘Children’s Toilet’ on the main door. These toilets have little toilet bowls, the correct height for children and toddlers, low sinks to enable children easily wash their hands and facilities created with children in mind. I also thought how this would be really convenient for parents accompanying their different gender children to the toilet as entering the children’s section to assist with toileting wouldn't elicit any shocks and uncomfortable reactions either way.

So given that many restaurants, shopping malls, play areas and other public service facilities have packages that attract family patronage, why is it that they do not have washrooms customized for the very children they seek to attract? Wouldn't this inclusion add significant value and be the tipping point that would direct more customers towards a children friendly facility? Customers love ease and comfort, and having the generally dreaded washroom experience converted into an easy and comfortable mission would be a crowd puller with no need to delve into business development strategy books to confirm that.

So…..rather than spend marketing funds on fancy ‘children friendly’ packages to attract the family segment to a facility, businesses should do the one thing that would definitely swing families their way – letting them know that they have walked in their shoes and that they care. I challenge all upcoming public facility developments and those existing ones that can refurbish and renovate, to include a ‘Children’s Toilet’ and then sit back and watch families stream through the door, for I guarantee you – they will!

A Toast To The Recognition and Entrenchment of The Rights of Customers

This article first appeared in the July Issue 2013 of Commerce and Industry Magazine Vol 2. No. 007

As the scrutiny of MDGs continues, it is indeed the onus of individual countries to carry out self appraisals to celebrate wins and develop renewed goals for the gaps. In the service landscape therefore, with specific reference to customer service as the driver of business, and as the oil that fuels the wick of sustainable business revenue, there is need to take cognizance of gains made in this direction.

Let us specifically take into consideration MDG Goal 8, whose first target 8A is to develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system that includes a commitment to good governance, development, and poverty reduction – both nationally and internationally. This target at a national level has only recently received a significant boost with the coming into force on 14^th March 2013 of the Consumer Protection Act 2012. This is a huge milestone for customers and a very good reason for us to bring out the champagne and toast to the recognition and entrenchment of the rights of customers into law.

As is often the case in this country, customers feel helpless in the event of service failure and suppliers are often quick to dismiss customer complaints. What then does this new dawn mean for this country? For you as a customer? How does the passing of this law protecting consumers and preventing unfair trade practices in consumer transactions affect you in real terms?

Let’s take the example of my colleague Sam, who has had a sufficient amount of drama with an airline that lost his luggage. Sam travelled to China on a business trip to source for supplies for his art business and on arrival back in Nairobi discovered that his luggage was never checked in on the flight. It has since been an exercise in frustration to trace this luggage, with the concerned airline oscillating between being non responsive and shuttling him back and forth to explain his story for the umpteenth time to different officials some in the Head office in the Middle East and others locally. When in frustration he threatened to go legal, he was called to collect a bag they claimed had been found in Guangzhou. The bag in question turned out to be alien and in an appalling and damaged condition. Some contents indeed were part of his business consignment, but a better part wasn't and he naturally refused to accept this luggage. The airline then wrote to advise that his bag was received in Nairobi on 24^th August 2012 and that as he’d identified some contents positively, compensation would be calculated based on the difference between the weight of the bag when checked in and the weight of the bag when received at USD 20 per kilogram, amounting therefore to USD 20. Needless to say that this dispute has been ongoing for over 10 months and has turned into a financial nightmare with deplorable handling of his situation.

How does this new dawn for consumer protection in Kenya now provide an avenue for recourse in a case such as this and other cases pitting customers against well established corporates in event of service failure? With Sam’s incident in mind, the act is very precise with a section highlighting the specific industry as follows; Airlines - the Cabinet Secretary responsible for matters relating to trade and industry is to make regulations to provide for passenger rights and the standards of service by air carriers. These regulations are to include provisions on access to necessary services while on a grounded air carrier, customer complaints, notification of delays, cancellations, overbooking, baggage concerns, compensation for passengers and the right to deplane where such rights are infringed.

This is the Holy Grail for airline customers who often have numerous complaints that go unheard, and awareness should be created to enable frustrated customers take action. And the beauty of the Consumer Protection Act 2012 that customer service activists have embraced with open arms is the running statement that punctuates its clauses that ‘Any ambiguities in a consumer agreement (including oral agreements) shall be interpreted in favour of the consumer’. Now how about that? Consumers and customers – get your champagne glasses out, the law is on our side

The Apple reincarnated as an AK47 Assault Rifle

Yesterday I attended a fantastic seminar #GetPaidToSpeak that provided insights and a great education on what it takes to transform into an articulate and engaging public speaker in the league of Martin Luther King and Winston Churchill of the famous ‘I have a Dream’  and ‘Blood Sweat and Tears’ fame respectively.  Given that I am currently on a vicious weight loss battle with some 10kgs that snuck up on me in the past few weeks that I need to chuck off with a vengeance, I had posted on a wonderful FaceBook group that I belong to, my consternation about attending the seminar where there would be delicious, scrumptious, delectable and absolutely tempting cakes and pastries whispering out to me to pick them off their platters and savour them.

A cheerleader in the group posted something that struck me mightily. He said “Carolyne you need a game plan now, otherwise you will be blind-sided and hijacked by tomorrow’s events. Awareness is critical. Tomorrow, the devil will show up, so how are you arming yourself today for tomorrow’s  victory? I’d say bring your own snacks; call people that will be there today and tell them of your intentions tomorrow; make a point to post tomorrow morning on the group post how you look forward to tomorrow’s  victory; eat a healthy breakfast  before you get there; inbox a couple  of people here your number so we can send encouraging/check up text messages.  DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO ENSURE VICTORY!”

And with Sammy Mureithi’s words ringing in my ears, I got a hold of all my weapons and ammunition and went to war. And when at breakfast they offered tea and warm vanilla cake, I got out my Uzi sub machine gun in the name of a banana and shot down the offer of cake. At the mid morning tea break when the platters of cinnamon rolls, tea scones, cookies and chocolate doughnuts were passed around I removed my G3 rifle in the name of an oat bar and shot them dead dead dead. At lunch time I hid in the bushes and did not attempt to make my way towards the enemy front line in the name of the dessert table and stuck to my soup, salad and baked potato and finally at 4pm during the afternoon break when madeleines, black forest slices and honey filled crepes were served, I raised my AK 47 Assault rifle in the name of an apple and brought down the enemy and threw up my arms in victory! I had come for battle prepared, and I had conquered!

You may be wondering at this point where I am going with all this rambling about fruit and guns and delectable desserts.  Well, at the end of my victorious war, I thought seriously about the ‘battles’ we need to wage in our wars to ensure unsurpassed customer service and ensure we deliver what is best for our customers. Are we going into war prepared? How comprehensive is our level of awareness of our customer service ‘battles’? Are we cognitive of when our queues are highest, when our customer surges happen, when most of our service failures occur?

Have we conducted an analysis of when we receive the most customer complaints? What the trends are and what the trigger factors for the dips in service levels are? If it is a Hospital or Hospitality situation, is it the check out process that is commonly a painful experience and when is it at its worst? If it is in a service industry situation where a teller experience is required like a bank, supermarket or telco care center situation, when are the queues longest? At what point of the day and at which period in the month? These are critical customer service touch points that have the potential to make or break the customer experience and customer brand evaluation rating.

Careful analysis of the trends will enable us go into ‘battle’ prepared and leaving no room to chance. The ammunition in these instances being for example, ensuring the shift rotas  during these periods are adjusted to enable availability of more tellers to provide quick service, more waiters on duty to provide quick service, having multi skilled staff move from the back office to the front office to assist bust queues and return to the back once the surge dissipates, having the manager or supervisor walk about in the customer areas to quickly assess the situation and call in back up resources as needed, find out customer needs, prioritize quick turnaround requirements  or reassure customers as and when needed.

Just as with any area in life, there is absolutely no excuse for mediocrity.  And in sync with the much touted Pareto principle, 80% planning and 20% execution is the age old requirement. We need to know and understand how our businesses work and plan for peak times complete with a plan A, B, C and D to ensure service is seamless. And as per Sammy’s advice, a business needs to do WHATEVER IT TAKES TO ENSURE VICTORY!

So good people out there, bring out your APPLES and GUN down poor customer service. VICIOUSLY!