News for the Hospitality Executive |
World-Class Service: The
Double-Platinum Rule 2.0
April 5, 2011 When I wrote the Double
Platinum Rule years ago, my intent was to communicate the
importance of
exceeding customer expectations. To exceed expectations, you must not
only
treat people the way they want to be treated (Platinum Rule), but treat
people
the way they don’t even know they want to be treated (Double-Platinum
Rule). I
even shared some
examples. Then, something recently hit me. Many people may think
that the
double-platinum Rule is only about anticipating needs. It is not. The
double-platinum rule is also about providing information that the
customer may
not have known otherwise. In other words, the true essence of the
double-platinum rule is to add value to someone else’s life beyond the
basic service
transaction. Example 1: I
enjoy getting massages. I’ve been to many exquisite spas throughout the
world,
and have received countless massages. On a recent trip to the luxurious
Kohler
Waters Spa
in Kohler, WI, the spa director told me something that I never heard
before. She said that one of the best
things I could do is to spend approximately 10 minutes in a steam room
or sauna
immediately before getting a massage. The purpose is so that my muscles
could
be nice and relaxed. This would allow
the therapist to effectively massage my muscles (instead of spending
precious
time trying to loosen up the muscles first). I will take that piece of
advice
with me for the rest of my life. From now on, every massage I get will
be
preceded by me spending time in a steam room or sauna. The spa director
informed and inspired me with knowledge that I did not know otherwise. Example 2:
Recently, I was at the local post office in my neighborhood, and saw a
man
struggling with multiple boxes while trying to open the front door at
the same
time. I immediately went to assist him. After thanking me, he mentioned
that he
hates the weekly chore of bringing all of his packages to the post
office (he
mentioned that he runs an eBay home business). I then explained that he
could
actually stay at home, go online, print the postage and schedule the
packages
to be picked up from his house. He was
in utter amazement that such a service existed. Then, he became
slightly
irritated that no one at the post office had ever told him about the
services I
had just described. Example 3: Just
recently, I was on the phone with Korean Air to finalize a trip to
Southeast
Asia from Washington DC. Although my
ticket was purchased online, I had to call Korean Air to purchase the
plane
ticket for my baby daughter. The customer service representative
promptly
inquired if I would like to order baby food for my daughter. I said,
“Of
course! I didn’t even know that airlines offered baby food”. She then
explained
that my baby’s food would be delivered at the same time as everyone
else’s
meals. Wow. The airline rep then asked if I would like to request an
airline
bassinet seat. “What’s an airline bassinet seat?”, I asked. She
explained that
it was a bassinet that my daughter can sleep in so she wouldn’t have to
be held
for the entire trip. Again, wow. I did not know that such products or
services
existed. Contrary to what many people think, wowing
customers does
not have to be an expensive task. Many times a WOW moment may not cost
anything.
Look for ways to wow daily. The key word is daily.
Behaviors become habits when they are done everyday (preferably
multiple times
per day). To inform and inspire is to add value to someone else’s life.
The
double-platinum rule is about providing knowledge that someone can take
with
them. Above all, strive to make the double-platinum rule your own
minimum
expectation for exceeding your customer’s expectations, and the WOW
moments
will come naturally. ______________________________________________________________________ B.Williams
Enterprise Updates:
About the Author Dr. Bryan K. Williams is the Chief Service Officer of B.Williams Enterprise, and the author of Engaging Service: 22 Ways to Become a Service Superstar. Bryan’s passion is world-class customer service, and has facilitated workshops and delivered keynotes all over the world for various companies. He speaks on a variety of topics related to service excellence, employee engagement, and organizational improvement. As a consultant, Bryan works closely with companies to design, develop, and implement sustainable service strategies. His company’s online store includes a growing collection of customer service products that are well-suited for your training library. |
Order at the B.Williams Enterprise Online Store Find more resources relating to service excellence at www.bwenterprise.net. Also on the website, you can subscribe to the official B.Williams Enterprise emailing list. You will receive announcements, newsletters and other excellent resources. -We exist to serve others so they may better serve the world ®.- |
B. Williams Enterprise, LLC |