Network Magazine Autumn 2020 | Page 10

5 SERVICE SINS AND HOW TO BREAK THEM TO GET AHEAD OF YOUR COMPETITORS Business coach Jaquie Scammell identifies five deadly sins of customer service, along with the behaviours needed to banish them. nce upon a time, service in small business was easy. There was less pressure and fewer expectations to meet in order to provide what we’d call ‘quality service’. Good service is no longer about competitive pricing and quality products, it’s now about long-lasting relationships that cut through the noise. We’ve evolved from transactional needs to relational needs, from providing commodities to finding commonalities with others. Fitness professionals deliver a highly personalised form of customer service, so it’s incredibly important to ensure you are getting it right. There are five service sins you’ve got to be aware of, and to break, if you really want to get ahead in today’s competitive fitness industry. O Sin 1: Spreading negativity We’ve all been there – dealing with rude customers or employees. But talking about them behind their back is asking for trouble. This kind of behaviour becomes a habit, and 10 | NETWORK AUTUMN 2020 you soon find it easier to be negative than positive. This can filter throughout the whole business and soon becomes ‘the norm’ for your brand – which is a killer for small businesses that rely on good word of mouth. Hence, never gossip about anyone, ever. Stop and think before you say something you regret. Ask yourself, ‘What will gossiping about this person achieve? Is there something more productive I could do, like getting on with providing them with a solution?’