I am allergic to just about
everything that is green and grows as well as to my favorite pets – two yellow
labs. For as long as I can remember I have taken monthly shots of magic serum
to combat the nasty symptoms.
On a recent visit to the business
end of a needle, I witnessed amazing service recovery in action. I arrived and
signed in as usual. Amy, one of my favorite nurses, was on shot duty. We exchanged a warm greeting. But, I knew
something was out of whack when I waited more than five minutes. I could hear
the doors of the serum cooler open and close.
The sound of serum vials being moved echoed across the waiting
room. It sounded like a search for a
lost vial.
“John, we are having trouble
finding your vials,” Amy exclaimed with an upset tone in her voice. “I am
getting some help to look for it and wanted to let you know that I am going to
take the next two people while we try to find your serum. I wanted you to know what
had happened and I wanted to explain why these people were being treated before
you,” she said with great concern. “I am so sorry you have to wait and I am sure
we will find your vials.”
Amy had followed the service
recovery prescription we teach our clients:
she quickly informed me of the problem, apologized for my inconvenience,
alerted me she was serving others while they worked to remedy the situation, and
informed me she was calling in reinforcements to help solve the problem.
I worked on my iPhone for a few
minutes. Suddenly, Amy appeared to warmly
exclaim that they had found my vials. “Someone had placed them in the “Ms”
instead of the “Ps”” she sternly stated. I clearly got the impression that the
guilty party would be dealt with!
When I went to get my shots I was
treated like a king. There were
apologies from all of Amy’s helpers, extra stickers for free parking, and more
assurances that it wouldn’t happen again. “Thanks for being so understanding,”
Amy stated. I thought to myself: it
wasn’t hard to be understanding after watching these service recovery pros in
action.
Is your organization allergic to
service recovery? Does your organization have a plan for service recovery? Do
your employees know how to fix a disappointed customer as well as how to fix
their problem?
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