To some, excellent customer service is way of life. It’s delivered, willingly and frequently with style and panache. It’s received, enjoyed and indulged in by recipients – although I suspect not gratefully enough on many occasions. As an under, or perhaps, unappreciated skillset it’s definitely shouldn’t be. Businesses in all walks of life benefit from recommendations due to excellent customer experiences – whether delivering a charitable service, professional guidance, or retail and hospitality experiences.
Delivering online brand protection solutions for clients the world over, with SnapDragon, customer service is absolutely at the forefront of every day. The business was founded fueled by rage (!), after my own product was counterfeited, to ensure no one else had to go through the same purgatory as I had.
Empathy and honesty, along with experience and expertise, are key drivers. Bespoke, efficient tech – which uses AI and machine learning – wide ranging language skills and close relationships with the online platforms help ensure over 95% of all links, websites, sellers etc that are reported for removal are – actually – removed. [This is far above the industry average].
We understand how distracting online threats are and exist to ensure businesses can continue to focus on their own international growth and happy customers. We are honest about not being able to rid the online world of all counterfeits of x brand, within minutes. What matters to us is understanding the client’s most profitable product, or territory, and protecting it first. Proactive problem solving is at the forefront of all minds, 24×7.
On a more personal theme, as Interim Head of Scotland for Smart Works for six months last year, I was immersed in seeing, and helping to deliver, nothing short of outstanding customer service – every day. Not one client session went past without endless thank yous, whether delivered as handshakes, hugs, cards, chocolates or flowers, all due to the amazing efforts put in by the extraordinary team of volunteers and staff. [I have gone back to being a volunteer coach having happily handed over the reigns].
Our team offers their undivided attention to each client for as long as it takes. Many tell us it’s the first time ‘for years’ that anyone has spent so much time concentrating on them – as an individual. This is the whole point … empowerment requires focus, encouragement, a plan of small, achievable steps which, together, create the road to employment.
The unbounded joy which tumbles from telephone calls and emails as we are told of job offers and career opportunities is palpable, reducing us often to tears.
Smart Works is about changing landscapes – finding and building confidence, creating purpose and encouraging ambition. Over 67% of women we helped in Scotland last year [over 1500], had found a job within a month of their appointment. That clearly isn’t all down to the service they found at Smart Works, but we like to think we have contributed significantly – through excellent customer service – to new personal landscapes being formed, to potential being recognised, and to food being on the table.
So … with all this delivery experience … it was an absolute and somewhat unexpected pleasure to experience amazing customer service on a recent visit to Aero Leathers in Galashiels.
Founded some 40 years ago, Aero Leathers is a humble, but hugely internationally successful brand manufacturing bespoke leather jackets based on vintage forces designs. A relatively small but nimble, experienced and dedicated team of artisans create styles for all shapes and sizes.
Popping in, when in the area, ‘to see’ whether there might be something fitting the bill as a long overdue present for a combination of celebrations and occasions, I was delightfully ‘hooked’ for nearly two hours. From being greeted at the door with a huge smiling welcome, to having the intricacies of an armhole explained and demonstrated, and hearing tell of the business’ history and profile … every single one of the team we met was an outstanding advocate for the business.
By the time we left, we had had proper conversations with at least six people. But, it wasn’t like a shoe shop, where the sales assistant’s interest may wander, or their break interrupts proceedings. Every conversation had a purpose, different to the one previous, where the artisan’s expertise and love for their role was clearly on display, however unintentional. Now the cynic in me, or you dear Reader, might suggest of course they are going to be nice to me … I was in the market for a jacket [not for me]. But I really didn’t get that feeling at all. It was much more a buying-in experience with the choice whether to do so, entirely left to me.
So much so that I now imagine wearers of Aero jackets recognise them on others, and a secret society of fans exists who will continue to support this fabulous business, keeping it all to themselves! With many celebs amongst this group, as well as regular appearances in blockbusters and TV shows, it may not be so secret for very much longer.
Nor should it be!
I couldn’t find an appropriate image for a piece on customer service and didn’t like what AI was suggesting – hence the cheerful image of the thistle which is my copyright!
