Consistency
is Better than Brilliance but who Moved the Goal Posts?
By Mike Schoettler
When I arrived in Australia back in 1979, there
was a really good milk bar in almost every neighbourhood. Most people
had their favourites for lunch and frequently sales calls were planned
so you would be in the right areas around lunchtime.
Back then, you expected to get in line and watch
them make a sandwich for the person at the front. Then one for the
next and finally, after the person in front of you was served, it
was your turn to peer through the glass and choose. Then you would
stand there and watch them make yours. The process was a lot like
watching your mother make a sandwich. Same materials, same style.
This was service in the 70's.
The only problem was if you were in another area.
It wasn't easy to know if a shop would be all right. It might look
good from the outside but what if it wasn't very clean or friendly?
So, we tried fast food. They might not be as good as our local shop
but we knew they would be clean. It was the safe choice because
it was predictable. Because they were consistent.
Now
So, in 2004 who sells the most hamburgers in the
world? My audiences still say McDonald's. There doesn't seem to
be any doubt about it at all. In fact, over 50 per cent of all Americans
now live within three minutes of a McDonald's. But when I ask for
a show of hands from the people who think McDonald's makes the best
burger, I don't see too many. Do you think the biggest burger business
in the world is built on a brilliant product or a consistent level
of service? And who changed the definition of service?
What happens today when you place your order in
McDonald's and the assistant says "That will be ready in 90
seconds." A significant number of people will change their
order rather than wait. I have done it myself. It is not that we
don't believe it will be ready in 90 seconds. That's probably spot
on. But we just don't want to wait. And it was McDonald's that trained
us to expect the food to be ready. I've noticed some people don't
even look up at the sign to order. They look at the shelf under
the lights to see what is ready.
The
Future
I read some time ago that McDonald's in the UK introduced
a new concept store called McDonald's Express. It was not like the
Australian or American express stores that just fit small locations.
In the UK, a McDonald's Express was built next to an existing McDonald's
Restaurant and it was aimed specifically at people who don't have
time for McDonald's. Is the definition of service changing again?
Today, just giving predictable service is not enough.
It has to be consistently good. And what it takes to qualify as
good keeps changing. Don't try to impress customers once and then
expect them to settle for less in the future. Because every time
someone does it a little bit better, that becomes the new standard.
A fax was a luxury until you got one. Then you would
not consider giving it up. Now ask anyone on the net if they would
give up e-mail and go back to just having a fax. Ask them what they
think of a supplier who asks their customers to fax something rather
than e-mailing it, just so they can have a "signature".
There are still many people who have never owned
a garage door opener. But I defy you to find someone who owned one
and then went back to getting in and out of their car. We just won't
go back to the old ways once we have enjoyed the new.
Convinced?
There is one more point. Double standards don't
work! In my experience when the boss expects the staff to change
the way they treat customers, the best tool in their kit is the
example they set. Given the choice between what you say and what
you do, your example is always more persuasive.
So, if you do decide to start changing the way your
people relate to clients, your attitudes and most importantly, the
way you communicate with them, you are starting in the right place.
Now be honest. Are you setting the new standards
of service in your industry or are you just relying on the quality
of your burger?
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