Transformation Versus Transactions
By Christine Hill, ServiceElements Exec VP & Facilitator
What kind of customer service do you provide? Is it a series of transactions that get the job done? Or is your customer service an uplifting, transcendental experience that leaves the customer transformed?
A transaction is an exchange of goods, services or money. That is what we do everyday in our business—right?? The customer gets what they ask for. Sometimes the customer does not get what they ask for, but they get what we are willing to provide. The procedures are all outlined in the policy manual for our company. We know the steps that must be taken in order to complete the transaction. Mr. Big wants to fly from Point A to Point B by 1:00 pm in order to make his meeting. Done. The plane is fueled. The logs are complete. The crew is ready. It is time for departure. But will this be a memorable, transforming flight for Mr. Big?
A transformation is a complete uplifting change-like the ugly caterpillar disappearing into his cocoon and emerging as a beautiful butterfly. There is no doubt that a wonderful metamorphosis has occurred. The customer leaves feeling that the service you provided went over and above the call of duty, and it left him feeling so good that he wants to return for more. In the book, “Teach Your Team to Fish”, author Laurie Beth Jones says “successful teams are those that understand that the desired end product is transformation, not transactions.” Transformation in service cannot be seen or touched, but it can be felt. It is not a one-time transaction, but it is the desired outcome of one or many ongoing transactions.
John F. Kennedy’s call in the early ‘60s for America to put a man on the moon is a good example. There were many transactions that had to occur-technical, political, financial before this could come to fruition. President Kennedy did not list a step-by-step policy manual of how it was to get done. He created the vision and left it up to those under his command to work out how it was going to be done. That vision along with many transactions lead to a transforming experience for the World when Neil Armstrong took his “giant leap for mankind” before the decade was over.
Give your employees that vision and goal of transformation. If a particular transaction is not happening according to policy, give them the ability to still make it a successful transaction. The transaction may result in a lost customer if the employee is not thinking in broad terms of the whole relationship instead of piece-meal situations.
I was recently speaking with a hotel manager who had taken a day off and was frustrated with the actions of the assistant manager who was in charge while he was away. A guest had requested an extra night of accommodations during a weekend when the hotel was booked to capacity for a convention. The assistant manager told the guest that all rooms were full and there was nothing he could do. It turned out that the guest was a regular business customer who stayed in the hotel at least one week every two months. He became so irate over this failed transaction that he never returned to that hotel. The manager figured that the hotel lost a minimum of $5000 worth of business a year from that one guest. What could the assistant manager have done? Maybe give a voucher for a free night’s stay on another date? Maybe set the customer up in a nearby hotel? What would it take to keep that customer’s business? That transaction could have been a transforming moment for the customer.
Taco Bell did a study and came to the conclusion that each consumer is worth approximately $14,000 in business transactions over his/her lifetime. It is not always possible to give the customer exactly what they want. But relationship building is very important. A single transaction should not blow the entire relationship. It is stressed with the employees that a failed bean burrito transaction is not worth giving up a customer. If a customer has a complaint, give up the bean burrito!
In 1882, a mother was about to give birth, she was told by the doctor to bear down which she did—for twelve hours. She was at the point of exhaustion and could no longer push. The doctor decided he had no alternatives—he would use chlorophyll which was not yet a common practice. He put some chlorophyll on a cloth and had her breath it in. Nothing happened, she was writhing in pain. He tried once again. This time she went unconscious. The doctor removed the baby. It was blue and not breathing. The father was distraught asking what he had done. The doctor breathed into the child’s mouth. No response. He breathed again and again. Finally, the child gasped for air. It was alive and breathing!!! The mother later recovered also. That child was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. If the doctor had just gone about doing his “job” this story would have quite a different ending. And our country’s history would be written a bit different.
Work toward achieving transformation in your service, not just transactions!
Copyright©ServiceElements International, Inc. 2008-2009
ServiceElements International, Inc., motivational training providers
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