Customer Service

By Lynne Lochen, Orange County Director of Tourism | Posted: Saturday, April 03, 2010

"The customer should not have to seek out service, it should come to him."

It's absolutely amazing what the impact of tourism is in Virginia alone.  According to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, visitors contributed $19.2 billion to Virginia's economy in 2008 with an additional $1.28 billion in state and local tax revenue, enough to pay the salaries and benefits for 11,500 new state police officers, educate 78,000 Virginia students or build 1,400 miles of roads.  Additionally, there were 210,620 direct tourism-related jobs.  Amazing financial support from folks who typically live far, far away.

It's also worth noting that every dollar Virginia invests in tourism generates $5 in tax revenue alone: A substantial 5:1 return. Visitors spend at the rate of $2 billion a day, $84 million an hour, $1.4 million a minute and $23 thousand per second!  In Orange county tourism revenue is $34 million, $1.1 million in tax revenue, and accounts for 487 direct travel related jobs.  And the number one recreational activity for travelers is by far shopping while the number one Virginia attraction last year was the Blue Ridge Parkway.

So you'd think that knowing this we would be noted for exceptional customer service or at least striving toward that level of delivery.  In some instances we are.  

Let's use a global model of excellent customer service to bring a couple points to light:  Disney.  76% of visitors to Disney are repeat visitors.  Repeat visitors are our biggest advocates (it costs 5 or 6 times more to find a new customer than to keep the one you already have.)  The main reason Disney has such an extraordinary repeat customer rate is due to interactions with staff members.  Not the rides.  Not the characters, but staff members. So, can one person make a difference?  In 1991 Southwest Airlines made $26 million.  However, if there had been one less person on each flight, they would have lost money that year. One person does make a difference.

Quality service begins and ends with sincere attentiveness regardless of what business you're in: food service, auto repair, travel and lodging or medical.  Sincere attentiveness is simply paying attention to detail, listening and placing yourself in that customer's (or tourist's or visitors's or house guest's) place, and striving to exceed expectations.  This does not mean that you will achieve perfect customer service every time, but it was Vince Lombardy who said, Perfection is not attainable.  But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence. 

And to dispel the old business rule that "the customer is always right," the customer is not always right, but he is always our guest in our care. For every customer that complains, there are 26 who do not complain...officially that is!

So...here are 12 simple, tried and true practices that will help you as you chase the perfection of customer service:

1. "Don't find fault.  Find a remedy,"  Henry Ford
2. Smile (it takes 3 muscles to smile and 66 to frown).
3. Never lose patience with our guests.
4. Leave problems at home.
5. Listen.  Really listen.
6. Shift the emphasis from what is wrong to what is right.
7. Communication is vital.
8. Anticipate guests needs.
9. Stay excited.
10. Don't pass the buck.
11. Own the situation and take responsibility.
12. Remember the Golden Rule.
13. Look at #11.