Why the no. 2s are better, when it comes to service!

For the non-marketer's sake, in mid-sixties Avis, one of the brands in the pack following Hertz who was the market leader in car rentals, shook the market, first by overhauling their customer service and upgrading their product (Thank you Mr. Bernbach) and then by launching the campaign 'We try harder' campaign to reposition Hertz. Result: A massive jump from 11% to 35% in mkt share within 4 years!

This is not to praise the legendary ad man Bernbach nor to refresh memories, but I recently witnessed how this is true even within an organisation. In Sept this year, I took a self drive tour through Rajasthan, which covered 3 resorts of a leading holiday sharing resort group. The first one was a Haveli at Nawalgarh- based near Sikar, 150 kms from Jaipur and the second being a mega established sresort near Kumbhalgarh Fort, 90 kms from Udaipur. Where the former was a Haveli resort with a lesser rating (even upgrading a season made me lose only less than 1 pts per night) while the later, near Kumbhalgarh fort was an established Golden Crown resort, much ahead within the Holiday Resort Club's own resort list.

Although both the resorts were in Rajasthan, one was fairly new and small within the organisation, where as the other was a benchmark. But I was surprised at the level of service that I received at Nawalgarh. It was as if, being small, they wanted to be noticed within the organisation and hence tried hard to please the customer. Every call to the reception or house keeping was attended within half hour or max, one hour. Had a surprisingly wonderful experience with respect to service, not to mention the quality of food. Judging the ambience is relative, but it was ok or rather better than its standards.
At the larger resort at Kumbhalgarh, although the ambience and food was superlative, I felt that the service factor was lacking in 'response'. Eg. Out of the 4 days that we stayed there, 2 days the intercom was not working and despite dialing and registering a service request through mobile, the service request was attended after 2 days! Although a single small instance for the resort, for me it was important one as it was about replacing a faulty light in our room, which we lived with for 2 days.
This is purely my inference from this experience.
'Although acknowledgement and recognition are known to be motivating factors, there is a chance of complacency creeping in along with it.' And when you are yet to be recognised, one often tends to be more energetic and alert as if a subconscious feeling of 'I am being watched'. Although these truths are universal, there are more chances of it being ignored. Looking back, I often wonder whether this is the reason why a particular leading business community (you have guessed it right :-) in India is miserly even in recognising/praising work well done!!! But isn't motivating equally important. And what better way to motivate than recognise good work!
I think both the above can be used by a progressive organisation. Motivation and recognition is must, but so is to keep the hunger to excel alive. A lot many companies are using this effectively to improve their service standards. Measures like rotation of people interfacing the customer, surprise audits, mystery shopping customer are few ways that are used effectively. Haven't you ever wondered why would a company rewards a 'best performer' and make the rest keep of the company clapping and wanting to be there on the dias next time. Well, the no. 2 always try harder always keeping the no. 1 on their toes. Isn't it!

IDBI Bank - Where the Hunter becomes the hunted

What an irony. Mahatma Gandhi said Customer is not a disturbance to our business. In fact he/she is the sole reason for business to exist. IDBI Bank disagrees. One Manager at the Parel Branch just said that I was wasting his time when I asked him a few questions.

On 24th October 2011 morning at 9.30 am went to the branch as was told one customer service executive to visit a brand for the home loan statement. Went to the branch, but all I met was with was disappointment. Was dribbled from one table to another like a battered hockey ball. Waited for 15 mins till this guy Anil Kumar was on his table. After hearing what I wanted, he
asked me to write an application. When I wrote the application, his colleagues said you won’t get a home loan statement at that branch. I lost my cool, had to, as I had wasted my precious half hour now. When I told him that he had wasted my time, he said that I was wasting his time. I was double furious. And left shouting out of the branch. That’s the time I realized that PSU banks can only become large in balance sheet but never in service offered. Even if they want to become private, it could only be on paper and never in principle.

Later dialled the customer service no. The person spoke to me but again when asked for a certain query was given a no. of andheri branch (this is a pure home loan branch) where no one picks up the phone. I protested and hence she gave me a mobile no. of one vikas chandra 9930965456 and also gave one 67158332 (Sheetal Raj). This apparently turned ot to be teh Andheri no where only ghosts work for picking up calls . Was wondering when I wanted a loan everyone picked up the calls. In fact they called me. But the story changed when I got the loan, now I have to chase them, even for small things....Its like the hunter becomes the hunted.