The last couple of days in Bangkok we have visited three times this Health Massage place and it got me thinking on the variety of experiences we have with different businesses. Some we love and some leave us wandering - what just happened there. I think it boils down to how consistent is the service, experience and/or product. The best businesses treat you the same prior to being a client, during the delivery and post delivery. When you use them multiple times, it feels the same and you can predict what some of the steps will.
Visiting the same place 3 times got me to see their awesome system and no wonder they will fully booked and required appointments to be made rather than just letting in walk ins which is what happens when businesses are not doing so well.
Upon entry we got greeted in a waiting room and got given a menu of services that we could choose from. Out came some cold tea and a cold towel to refresh us. Then came the slippers which swapped our shoes and got put away in a secure cupboard away from sight so everything stays in place.
Inside the rooms they had hidden compartments for their oils and other equipment under the floor again keeping everything decluttered and away. They took every care of us (even though we had 6-7 different people look after us during all our visits) Every person knew the system, worked the systema and followed the values of the business.
At the end we got given warm tea and a warm towel and got brought back our shoes. As we departed, the massage therapists that gave us the treatment were waiting for us by the stairs to wave us and thank us for the business with their traditional hands together bowing down way.
So what does all this have to do with you? Sometimes you don't have a full team of people and you are the only person in the business, but that is where it all starts. You are the culture, you are the one that begins the experience, systems and ways of doing things. I used to think this too and until recently I thought I was the only person. Someone recently pointed out to me that I actually have 9 team members: Myself, my husband Stuart who is more in a Customer Service role, my Virtual Assistant Lendy, my transcriptionist Richard, my book publishers Blaise and Kev, my graphic designer Nikola and my FB ads team Charley and Elena... All of these people are part of the experience we deliver.
They must match the style of service delivery I value and want my clients to experience. We have been working together for well over two years now and they all understand the values of Fun, Fast and Fame. They know what we need to put out there and how we must communicate with our clients is in accordance of these values and style. The reason these alliances have lasted so long is because 98% of the time we get this outcome.
I don't believe in perfectionism, we are all human and things can go astray from time to time. Be kind to yourself and do the best you can, but don't be lazy, have a system, have a way that you deliver what you do and don't cut corners. My clients know exactly how it will be and what will happen every time they reach out to me. If you are doing this, your best sign that you are being consistent is that you will have lots of return business.
Start writing and creating your routines and systems. Its never too early as before you know it you will be needing to pass them on and train others to replicate what you do so well.
Work Hard - Play Hard!
Love Nat x
P.S. We are very consistent with Spa O'Clock at our Author retreats :) Fri and Sat night 10:30pm is Spa O'Clock LOL!
