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Client Service - Part One: From the Boss - I'm not the most important person you serve

Posted by Tony Morse on October 16, 2009 at October 16, 2009 11:45 AM

This week our family visited a well-known, 30-plus year old restaurant in the Twin Cities. We anticipated a nice meal, but it didn't end up that way. This isn't a rant about a dining experience, but a reflection on the impact of "the boss" on customer service, unless expectations are set between employer and employee.

To set the stage, another party "took" our reservation though we were seated after some confusion. We ordered wine, it was opened, I tasted and it was poured for the others. My glass was almost forgotten (not a big deal, really). The soup delivered was different from my selection. The main course was not what I ordered. To make amends, the server offered to discount the meal by the $5 difference in main courses - oh, and offered dessert on the house. (They later offered to remove the entire cost of my entree).

When the check was settled, I saw the founder and owner - a prominent restaurateur - thanking the manager for a great meal and heading out the door.

True or not, his gratitude shows me he had a very different experience from me.

So, how do you keep from repeating this situation with your clients? As a manager, be good, be honest and be approachable. If your people fear you or feel like their behavior has to change when you're around, they're focused too much on serving you and not enough on serving your clients. The result impacts your brand and your business: without our clients, we don't have a job.

Harvard Business Review and Liz Ryan Consulting (as published some time ago in the Star Tribune) offer some perspectives on leadership and things "the boss" wants you to know.

Here are a couple points from Liz Ryan on the "10 things your manager wants you to know":
• Don't give me a reason to watch you like a hawk.
• You're the expert on how to do your job, not me. Don't be frustrated that I don't know the details. I have a different job description than you do.
• Bring me problems as far in advance as possible. I can help you out of a jam if I have lead time.
• I can help you if you goof up, but don't do anything really stupid.

For the manager, take a look at the "5 Traits of the New Creative Leader" HBR offered this week as advice to help get the results leaders want.

What suggestions do you have for "Shared Commitments" between managers and those they manage?

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