Above and beyond the call of duty

By Julian Ratcliffe, Sales Coordinator, Marval Software

Last week, prior to going away for a long weekend in Chester, I ordered a t-shirt from a very well- known and popular high street retailer. Deciding that I wanted to take it with me for the weekend, I paid an extra £6 for guaranteed next day delivery. The following morning I received the customary email confirmation saying that delivery would be between 9.30-10.30 at my office. 

Receiving a call just after 10.30, from I assumed the driver to say he was lost, I was surprised to hear from a local retail store informing me that they had received a package for me. Immediately you start to think, what had I ordered from this retailer! Nothing! Oh no, they informed me, this had been delivered by the courier company by mistake. In a moment of blood boiling rage, I called said couriers and asked them why they had delivered my package to the local retailer. We only sent it where the label says it should go, was their response. Despite my protestations that their confirmation email of a few hours earlier had confirmed the delivery address as my office, they still wanted to blame the retailer.

Lisa at the local shop, who had previously informed me of the errant package, rather than asking when I was coming to collect it, out of the blue and for no reason, said: “I’m going past your office later on my way to get my son from school, so will drop it off around 3.30.” 

There was no need to do this; she didn’t know me, it wasn’t her problem. However, she took ownership of a situation where she could make a difference to someone else.  It wasn’t even her employer’s business and I wasn’t even a customer of that local shop. Yet Lisa taught me that, going above and beyond the call of duty, is what customer service is all about.

Working for a leading ITSM solutions and services provider, I have realised that, in most cases, internal policies and ITSM systems will help establish a process to manage and deliver service. Still, what makes the service we get as customers better, memorable and unique is People: Individuals working as a team to ensure that their customers receive a level of service that makes them the enterprise’s greatest advocates. 

You can’t compliment a system for providing great service. It doesn’t care whether you appreciate it or not. People do care. Fundamentally as humans, we want to please, we want to make a difference in our lives to fellow man. Providing great customer service comes from within. We all know what makes great customer service. 

And yes, having a great ITSM toolset helps you to go above and beyond.