Why not look at spreading the word about customer service to other businesses - in fact, to entire communities? Some people may think that this would give them less of a competitive advantage in their business environment, and they would probably be right. However, when we look at the bigger picture, if people are coming to a particular destination to buy products and to do business, there is a far greater chance that they will keep coming back if their total experience is memorable.
Imagine visiting a shopping center where the level of service in all of the businesses that you shopped at was excellent. The staff were all very friendly, professional and well-presented, and they asked you the right questions and provided the products that you needed. If this happened in one shop, you would notice and remember that business. How would you feel if the level of service was equally as good in all of the other businesses? Imagine the reputation that this shopping center would develop. Imagine the number of customers that would keep coming back.
Tourism and hospitality-based areas are perfect for this concept. It is very important that visitors are well treated and given high levels of customer service so that when they go home and tell their friends, colleagues and families about their choice of holiday destination, they give glowing reports and encourage other people to visit the same destination.
By being a customer service champion, you can drive this message home to your local council, business organizations, chambers of commerce and so on. Businesses could be awarded recognition for outstanding levels of service; they could even be rated, like hotels, on the customer service that they provide. All the members of such a collective could have a sign in their windows showing their support of and commitment to customer service.
Look towards the future today. Customer service is going to become more and more important. The sooner we all start to aspire to higher levels of customer service, the sooner the results will begin to show.