northland chamber

BUSINESS ADVOCATE COLUMN AUGUST 2011
In the coming months if everything goes to plan, Northland through its role with the 2011 Rugby World Cup should have an early start to its summer season with an influx of overseas and domestic tourists ready to sample our products, service and scenery. With this event comes an opportunity to show the rest of the country and the world why we love it here. If we can influence these visitors to sell Northland as a place to live, work or visit when they go home then we will create a real legacy from hosting these teams.

While we have little influence over how many visitors will come to the region, as individuals we have an opportunity to positively impact on their stay. The barriers to this happening are obvious. We are all aware of businesses that offer poor or inconsistent quality of service and how we as the consumer react to them.

This is about the customer’s expectations not ours. The likelihood is that our visitors will have high expectations in relation to product and service and for us to improve our reputation we do not only need to meet these expectations but to exceed them. Part of this may require an understanding of a visitor’s cultural difference. Like all things market knowledge accompanied service or product knowledge will be essential in achieving a positive impression.

We will need to be open and ready for business. This is not going to be the time to practice on the customer. Much of the values around customer service will be driven by the business owner. They will be the ones who make sure they hire friendly staff and train them. This training will include product knowledge and understanding. It will focus on developing confident service staff who recognise the importance of selling to the consumer and creating an ongoing relationship with them.

The other key responsibility of the owner is to construct a business framework that enables the staff to fulfil their potential and do their job without physical and procedural boundaries. This is a specialist area of training and there is value in seeking specialist help to develop the systems to make this possible. Finally the owner is tasked with ensuring all within the business understand his or her vision and what it is that they want the customer to experience. This is the story that the consumer will take away with them and tell their friends.