Always Focus on the Customer
How is Your Serve?
Statements such as Going the Extra Mile, How can I help you? are all important.
“Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.”―James Cash, Founder, JC Penney
In the Funeral Industry I have had a number of experiences as a Cemeteries Manager and Funeral Celebrant/Officiant : -
- One lady was looking for a relative's headstone and had spent hours in an old Cemetery (no longer used for internments) with no success. When she contacted our office we ended up getting old maps out which were over a century old and two of us visited the site. After a while we realised a bush was growing in what looked to be the correct grave space. It wasn't until we pulled back some of the branches that we saw the headstone which was totally covered. After some suitable pruning we could read the inscription. The lady was informed and promptly visited. The email we received from her said "You are the 8th wonders of the World"
- My ground works team who dug the graves and maintained the Cemeteries won a few awards. One year they received the annual Customer Service award out of all the Council's (Municipality's) employees. How did they triumph over all the other departments? They were supplied with black trousers, jacket, shoes, white shirt and black tie to wear during funerals instead of their work uniform. As soon as a Funeral came through the gates they led the Funeral party the safest and most direct way to the grave. They also ensured all health and safety was adhered to on site. Graves were prepared to a set standard. All staff received certificated training on all aspects of their work. They were knowledgeable about their sites. A member of the public calling the office would be invited to visit the site to choose a grave or find one. The staff had maps and knew the options available for new grave plots. As a team they worked in all weathers. Many of the visitors knew them by name.
- As a Funeral Celebrant customer service is my number one priority : - Two examples of Funerals and going the extra mile come to mind : - One was a Countryman's funeral who had acquaintances that played in a well known local agricultural style orchestra. I mentioned to the son about getting them to come. He said it would never happen as they were too busy. I rang a few times but persisted and eventually received a reply. When I mentioned the gentleman's name they immediately said "what can we do?" They came and played live at the Crematorium and did the same at the reception (wake) afterwards - all for free. This resulted in an unforgettable funeral for son and daughter and all who attended. On another occasion I had the privilege of conducting a funeral for an English mechanic who had served a number of USA army units. He had managed to get 150 wheeled vehicles up and running which had been inoperable and get them from Germany to Iraq during the war. The commendation letters he had received were amazing from the units he had served. I went out of my way to contact a British based USA army base and received a wonderful letter from a senior Chaplain the day before the funeral. This was read and it has become a treasured possession of his wife.
- Have you examples of Customer Service and going the extra mile / providing a standard of excellence?