By Douglas Kruger
The airline informs her that she’s been booked onto a different route. However, she has to be in New York tomorrow, and the replacement flight will never make it.
Flicking the lights on, she dials their call centre. An automated voice tells her to call back during office hours. That’s seven hours from now. It’s also one hour after the replacement flight takes off, in the wrong direction.
She posted her tale on social media, and what struck me most were the comments:
“That airline always does this.”
“Happened to me in Tokyo. Same bunch. You can count on them to do this to you.”
“Their standards have dropped severely. They used to be world-class.”
“Sorry to hear it, but par for the course with that airline. Next time use a better one. Good luck.”
Every business has its issues. But when these issues repeat with regularity, it is no longer a mistake. It is a moral choice. It is the decision by leadership to build customer dissatisfaction into their process as an acceptable margin.
For a few months after Wilbur and Orville invented flight, it may have been OK to host a call centre that closes at night. But over a century later, for any business to watch its paying customers decry a repeat problem, and never resolve it, is identical to choosing a lower standard.
Jersey faces a similar choice right now. And we have a rare and exciting opportunity to take the high road.
Imagine that you are French. Readers might experience mixed emotions about this prospect, but bear with me.
Something has just changed on the landscape. You can now take an easy day-trip to Jersey.
So you gather your family, stuff a satchel full of euros, and hop on the ferry. You step off on the other side and discover…that everything is closed. So you wonder up and down the ghost streets, peering through windows at the merchandise you might have bought, wondering why it’s all so dead. And then you turn around and head home, taking your money, and your impressions, with you.
“Sacré bleu!”
We can do better.
The first time this happens, it’s a learning curve. But if it repeats with regularity, it’s a choice, and not a good one.
At the most basic level, our local entrepreneurs need to know when our new guests arrive.
Having the doors open and the lights on is not just Customer Service 101, but also basic good manners.
But with a little imagination, we could go a lot further.
How about a simple board outside your store: “Bienvenue à Jersey!”? Fly the French flag, and have an attendant stand on the cobblestones and spot the groups of tourists. It’s not hard. They’re the ones walking in a mob, looking lost, and arguing over a map. Oh, and they’re speaking French. Engage with them, offer a free sample of something, and welcome them in for a quick browse.
And then start thinking “pop up locations”. If your store is off the beaten track, could you set up a mini version right in their path? And, dear government, could you please not fine or charge them extra for doing so? Encourage it! We need this space filled with light and life and bustle and spectacle and music and scents and excitement. Invite the buskers, the sellers, the performers and artists. Go wild – they’ll love it! Oh, and have some stands for Jersey Heritage, speaking directly to them about our sensational world heritage sites and how to get there. In fact, design a way to help them get there.
And how about exciting spontaneous events? Every now and then, a full-scale orchestra sets up in Howard Davis Park. They’re magnificent! Now how about setting up near the Harbour, or in the high street?
Our new Opera House… Could you put on pop-up scenes for our guests?
Next, start thinking in terms of partnerships. They step off the ferry and what do they need? Probably a new sim-card and a strong cup of coffee. Sounds like a marriage between Coopers and JT, and the stand should be right there, with bold French captions.
Now let’s talk local flavour. Every bookstore should have displays front and centre: “Meet the Jersey authors. Don’t leave the Island without our stories in your pocket.” Same goes for Jersey caps, bags and uh… jerseys.
In branding terms, it might be fun to play with a logo that shows both flags. Could you anthropomorphise them, and have them hug?
What more could we do? If you set your imagination to the task, how might you delight the very socks of a Frenchman? So that he returns home and says, “You have to go there!”
That’s the goal. We are limited only by our imaginations. There are so many things we can do, and this is such an opportunity to do them.
Finally, if you own a business, may I suggest checking that your staff don’t actively repel money?
Last week, my wife tried to order a cake, from a cake store.
She made her enquiry, and was met with, “Ooh, I don’t know about that. I don’t think our chef has capacity.” Full stop. No further suggestions. A facial expression that conveyed:
“You, the customer, are a burden to me, and my life would be infinitely improved if you would just go away.”
Teach them to smile. Teach them to be good hosts and find a way. Teach them that everyone’s salary flows directly from the customer, and that the more customers we help, the more we prosper. Teach them to cross-sell and upsell.
There are two things at stake here. The profitability of Jersey businesses…and the reputation of Jersey itself. Repeated customer frustration is a poor moral choice. But we have the opportunity to take the high road. The moment is upon us. Let’s put on a show!
Douglas Kruger is a Hall of Fame speaker and bestselling business author. He lives in St Helier, where he struggles to order cake. Meet him at douglaskruger.com.
