The Service Excellence Model

ServiceExcellence

PETER GROSShttp://uk.linkedin.com/in/petergross

peter@cityprojectpartners.co.ukSeptember 2014

The Goal of Service Excellence

Only Nice Surprises Permitted

Delight by Exceeding Expectations

Value:• Return on Investment• Cost vs Benefit• Risk Avoidance/Reduction• Fit for Purpose• Fit with Self-Image• Performance• Convenience• Aesthetics

Trust:• Durability• Credibility• Security• Confidentiality• Integrity• Warranty• Consistency• Engagement• Risk vs Reward

The Landscape

Understanding the Customer Perspective

Individual References & Influences

• Beliefs & Values• Circumstance• Priorities• Experience• Knowledge• Abilities• Emotions• Environment• Self-Perspective & Identity

The Core

The four elements of the core are the central components to service excellence.

Accuracy

• Validation

• Verification

• Complete

Availability

• Available as advertised

• Frictionless Access

• Ease of Navigation

• Capacity & Stock to Meet Demand

Reliability

• Quality

• Consistency

• Durability

• Privacy & Security

• Ownership & Response

• Guarantees & Resolution

• The Ronseal ™ test• “It does what it says on the tin.”

Presentation

• Clean & Tidy

• Engagement

• Reassurance

• Discretion

The Foundation

The core is built on three foundation elements

Knowledge & Understanding

• Engage• Listen• Question• Observe• Analyse• Theorise• Replay• Validate• Measure• Learn• Repeat

“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.”

Efficiency

• Customers assume efficiency is the suppliers problem• They typically don’t want to see in the engine room or in

the kitchens• Just don’t make them wait!

Expertise & Experience

• Customers assume staff have all the appropriate skills, qualifications, experience and certifications

• Less relevant for low-value, low-risk, low-skill service delivery

• Over-qualified is fine. Under is not!

Value-Add

Personalisation is the Key to Excellence

Advice

• Use experience, expertise and insight as a foundation to relevant advice

• Test reception before advising• Engage at customers pace and level

Customisation

• Individual customisation• Bespoke outputs

Partnership

• Alignment of common goals• Share of risks and reward

The Store Front

The Store Front is crucial to customer engagement, relationships and retention

Communication

• Has the customer heard what you said?• Under promise – over deliver• Listening requires concentration• What is not being discussed?• Consider frequency, method, tone & consistency across channels• The person engaging the customer is the provider. Speak with one voice

Delivery

• Customer buy experiences - obtained from products and services

• Sell the sizzle not just the sausage• Remove the pain and deliver the gain

The Service Excellence Model

The one-page model

Value and Trust

ExpertiseEfficiency

Accuracy

Reliability

Availability

Partnership, Customisationand Advice

Communication & Delivery

Foundations

Core

Value-Add

“Store Front”

Goals

Presentation

Knowledge& Understanding

Influences Customer Perception

Elements are not uniform and should be balanced to

suit the situation.

Copyright Peter Gross, 2014. All Rights Reserved.

TheService

Excellence Model

Peter Gross

Peter is an accomplished programme and project manager with over 25 years

commercial experience gained across a variety of public and private sector

organisations from early stage start-ups to established global FTSE100 enterprise

environments.

About the author

http://uk.linkedin.com/in/petergross