Steve Russell writes:
It shouldn’t be this way. Businesses are clamouring to be recognised as outstanding, so why stop at being professional? What people really want from a chauffeur is to be exceptional and dependable. I would argue that this is what customers want from all their suppliers; wacky, zany and quirky are great, but you also need to deliver the product, otherwise it’s just money down the drain. Deadlines must be met- in our business that mostly means the car arriving on time, but additionally we aim to confirm all our bookings by email within an hour and all our passengers are supplied with the driver’s number the day before their journey. These details are part of the service that makes Airport Lynx special. A successful business will keep its promises; its customers will depend upon it. I once attended a seminar on the success of Amazon, which revealed that the main reason for its rise was the quick and reliable delivery. Amazon have recognised that its customers want their product quickly and efficiently.
Further to being utterly reliable and dependable, professional businesses need to always be looking to innovate and find new areas to improve their customer experience. This is where the exceptional part comes in; your competition will always copy you (if they can be bothered), but by then you will be looking for the next way to impress your customers. Some of the ideas won’t work but many will.
By combining dependability with exceptionality, I truly believe that a business will be as professional as it can be. Customers will remain loyal and others will seek out your service.
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