SERVICE
By: Craig A. Ruark, LEED AP
Good service is something most of us expect, no matter what type of business we are patronizing. Unfortunately, most everyone's expectation of what constitutes "good" service often exceeds the actual service that is rendered. I am sure you have heard businesses shout about their 'fast, friendly service,' only to discover, as a customer, that it wasn't fast, friendly, OR service. You know what I am talking about! Frustrated, most people will leave a business dissatisfied and make a checkmark in their mental notebook under the column heading of "Bad Service"; never to return again.
Lately it seems that whenever anyone speaks about service, they use Starbucks as a model. While it is fun to visit Starbucks and for the most part they have great employees, we at NBD believe that there is more to service than a friendly smile and a wink. Service means honesty! Service is involvement! Service is caring! Service is performing as a partner to your client! Service is accepting your emergency as our emergency!
We realize that time is money and that every minute a client must wait for one of our engineers to give him an answer is costing that client valuable time. So if a client calls in need of an answer, we make sure someone talks to him/her immediately, if only to take down the details of the question in order to find the correct answer. At least the client knows someone is listening! That is "Commitment"; making your problem our problem and then solving the problem.
NO---is not an answer in our firm and we instill a sense of pride and ownership into each of our employees. Part of providing good service is being there for the customer when you are most needed.
The other day I was at Smith's Market and had on my shopping list, a 16 oz container of Sour Cream. Now I must tell you that my wife knows quality and is very particular about the Sour Cream we buy. Since I did not see our brand on the shelf, I asked a young man that was stocking the orange juice nearby if he had the brand I wanted in the back. He said, "Just a minute Sir and I will check!" A few minutes later he returned with the news that they were out of stock on that item. However, seeing my disappointment and how perplexed I looked, he inquired' "Do you mind if I make a suggestion?" I said, "Not at all!" The young man proceeded to tell me that while the brand I was looking for was very good, there is another brand on the shelf that is even better even though it may not be well known to us. He pointed out that most sour cream brands not only contain cultured pastured milk, cream but also contain modified food starch, disodium phosphate, guar gum, sodium citrate, carageenan, carob bean gum, potassium sorbate (to preserve freshness), and enzymes, he quoted; reading from the back of the store brand label. He then picked up a container of Daisy Brand Sour Cream and pointed out that it had only two ingredients: "Grade A Cultured Cream. Contains Milk. Grade A. No Additives".
It was refreshing to find someone who took pride in his work, knew his product and cared enough to take the time to help me with my problem. He could have easily told me they were out of stock and left it at that. Instead he took that extra step to ensure I not only got what I wanted but to our surprise received a better quality product as well.
At NBD, we have a simple approach to delivering good service to our clients; it is called Responsiveness. We don't add fillers or other double talk that get in the way. As a consultant, you rely on our expertise and we are forthright in our answers. Whenever possible, we provide multiple alternatives and spell out considerations; their advantages and weaknesses, so that together as partners we can make the right decisions.
To us, being responsive begins with answering the telephone. We make sure that during non-business hours you have a cell phone number to call in an emergency. During normal business hours instead of making you push endless buttons and becoming stranded forever in the Bermuda voicemail Triangle, our Ambassador of First Impressions answers every telephone call. We take pride in the fact that when you call for the first time or the one-hundredth time, you are greeted with a kind human voice that answers in a truly caring manner:
"Good Morning; Nevada By Design!"
