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<title>Bryan K Williams - EzineArticles Expert Author</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Bryan_K_Williams</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:30:21 -0600</pubDate>
<image><title>Bryan K Williams - EzineArticles Expert Author</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Bryan_K_Williams</link>
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<copyright>Copyright 2012 EzineArticles.com - All Rights Reserved.</copyright>
<description><![CDATA[Bryan K. Williams is an independent organizational consultant, trainer, and quality auditor, who focuses on the areas of service excellence and leadership effectiveness. His passion and purpose is "to serve others so they may better serve the world". The concepts of "world-class service", organizational effectiveness, and purpose-driven leadership are not unique to any specific industry or organization; therefore, differentiating your organization through excellent service delivery is not only possible, but a key competitive advantage as well. Prior to this current venture, Bryan worked with the world-renowned Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC for over nine years. In his last role with The ... ]]></description>
<lastBuildDate>Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:09:11 -0600</lastBuildDate>
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<title>Leadership 101: Lead Me - Help Me To Become More Than I Realize I Can Be</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6876820</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6876820</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:09:11 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Everyday there are many employees who go to work, and are looking for one thing. No, the one thing I am referring to has nothing to do with compensation. The "one thing" is more intrinsic in nature. These employees are looking to be inspired. Tony Zseigh, CEO of Zappos.com, made a very interesting statement that really resonated with me. He said, "At Zappos.com, we stopped looking for ways to motivate our team and started looking for ways to inspire them." The connotation is that being inspired resonates on a much deeper level and tends to last longer than being merely motivated, which may not be as enduring.]]></description>
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<title>Earn and Re-Earn Your Customers' Loyalty</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6818771</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6818771</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:51:48 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When I am traveling in the U.S., my favorite airline is Southwest Airlines. It is very obvious to me that they understand that customer service is more than just a public relations statement. For example, they give you the option of having a customer service phone representative call you back instead of waiting on hold for a long time. Just recently, I had two business trips that required me to seek out other airlines because Southwest did not provide flights to those cities. So I flew on two different airlines, and both failed...miserably.]]></description>
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<title>Customer Engagement 101: Honor Your Customers</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6650786</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6650786</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:40:01 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The more I think about it, the more I realize that serving is about honoring. Hoteliers and spa professionals honor their guests...healthcare professionals honor their patients...educators honor their students and so on. To fully understand what this article is about, let us first define "honor". A quick review of any dictionary will find that the word it means to show high respect or to hold in high esteem. No matter what industry you are in, each of your customers deserves to feel honored, regardless of who they are or whether they have been classified as a VIP or not.]]></description>
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<title>Service Excellence 101: Be Welcoming</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6579990</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6579990</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:35:05 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In addition to being eager to serve, it is important to highlight the importance of the entire welcome experience. There is a popular saying that goes, You never get a second chance to make a first impression. While it is possible, it can be difficult to bounce back from a poor welcome experience.]]></description>
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<title>The Three Ingredients of Engaging Service: Humility, Reverence and Professionalism</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6501585</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6501585</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:32:42 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[On a recent family trip to Bali, we had the privilege of flying on Korean Air. Virtually every touchpoint was memorable. Everything from the reservations process, to the actual flights, was world-class, and I was able to glean some key learning points to share with you. I am a firm believer that whenever you learn something, you should share it so that others may also benefit. The important thing is that any organization, in any industry, can take away something from this article to immediately apply.]]></description>
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<title>Service Excellence: The Most Important Thing</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6422112</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6422112</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2011 12:57:27 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I have two confessions to make. One is...I am a huge fan of Zappos.com. So much so that I am dedicating a large chunk of this article to their renowned service culture. Every time I meet someone who has shopped at Zappos.com, the reaction is always the same, "I love Zappos!", "They are the best", etc. For those who don't know, Zappos.com is a successful online shoe and apparel retailer. My second confession is, as this article is being written (June 27, 2011), I have never actually shopped at Zappos.com, although I intend to whenever I get a moment.]]></description>
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<title>Service Excellence: How to Serve a VIP</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6400369</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6400369</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:02:35 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When I was a line employee in the hotel business, I would usually be the person assigned to serve the VIP guests. Whether I was a server or a concierge, my managers trusted me to provide exceptional customer service to the CEO's, celebrities, and royalty that would visit. In my manager's minds, those guests needed "extra special service". While I was flattered that my managers thought so highly of my customer service skills, I was always bothered by their assertion that some guests should get "better" treatment than others. In my mind, all of my guests were VIP's. I truly never made a distinction between how I served the supposed VIP's and every other guest I had. In my heart, I felt (and still feel) that EVERYONE deserves excellent service, regardless of their socioeconomic status, job title, or any other label. For me, serving the Queen of England is just as honorable as serving Joe Smith, who is on vacation with his family of four.]]></description>
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<title>The First Step of Service: Be Eager to Serve</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6288169</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6288169</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 23 May 2011 10:26:22 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Have you ever walked into a business and left before you were served? That scenario has happened to me multiple times. On past occasions, I left because the staff showed no sense of urgency to be of service. Please note that the business(s) had the product or service I wanted, but I left because there was an obvious sense of apathy among the staff. Yes, your customers can feel the apathy; especially if the majority of the staff look like they would much rather be anywhere else besides work.]]></description>
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<title>Double-Platinum Rule 2.0: Inform and Inspire</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6179844</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6179844</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:45:04 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When I wrote the Double-Platinum Rule years ago, my intent was to communicate the importance of exceeding customer expectations. To exceed expectations, you must not only treat people the way they want to be treated (Platinum Rule), but treat people the way they don't even know they want to be treated (Double-Platinum Rule).]]></description>
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<title>Customer Problem Resolution: The 100% Principle</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6150047</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6150047</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:45:13 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When it comes to serving others, chances are that you will make mistakes occasionally. Even in the most opulent, 5-star hotels and restaurants, guests are sometimes disappointed. The same goes for hospitals, banks, nursing homes, spas, airlines, and any other businesses that serve people. The key to this seemingly unavoidable dilemma of making mistakes is how well you exemplify the "100% principle".]]></description>
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<title>World-Class Service 102: Be Memorable, Regardless of Your Job Title</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6015015</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6015015</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Mar 2011 08:57:42 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[No matter what the job title is, everyone has the power to create memorable experiences for their customers. Regardless of the setting or the industry, service excellence begins and ends with at least one person having the desire to not just serve, but to literally improve the life of someone else. While for some, "improve someone's life" may sound like over-reaching, think of the days when nothing seems to be going right.]]></description>
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<title>Take Your Service to the Next Level: Only BIG WOW's, No Bow-Wow's</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/6015095</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/6015095</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:17:03 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[At a recent meeting, I was helping a team of executives brainstorm ways to WOW their customers. Once we began brainstorming, it became clear to me that the executives' perception of what a WOW was and my perception were completely different. To them, consistently smiling and greeting a customer was a WOW. To me, that is just the bare minimum of doing one's job in the service business. I then explained what a true WOW should look like and then gave several examples.]]></description>
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<title>Service Excellence: Inspect What You Expect</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5572723</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5572723</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Dec 2010 09:46:33 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If we truly want to serve in an exceptional manner, then we must regularly look at service from our customer's perspective. It can become quite easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day operation of our jobs, that we unintentionally overlook simple service errors. We, as service providers, can become very focused on giving service, and forget that it's all about how our customers receive that service.]]></description>
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<title>Service Superstars Pt 3 - Encourage, Recognize, Celebrate!</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/5191428</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/5191428</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Oct 2010 15:51:34 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Not long ago, I visited a well-known department store to buy a few items. I was armed with a list of carefully selected items that were on sale. When I got to the store, however, I realized that I left the sales paper at home. So I went to the store's customer service desk to inquire about getting another sales paper.]]></description>
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<title>Excellent Customer Service in Health Care - The Greatest Nurse I Ever Met</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4999715</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4999715</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:49:59 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I love that those who serve do not think of themselves as servants, but as service professionals. They enjoy making others feel special. For these service superstars, service is not what they do, it is "who they are". This is why I cringe when I hear healthcare professionals say "I didn't go to school to serve people". Huh? ]]></description>
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<title>Service Superstars, Part 2 - Treat Them Like They Own It</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4692269</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4692269</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:57:08 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA["The trouble with having employees is that eventually you have to pay them." Wow! I heard a manager make that comment not too long ago, and I had to look at him to see if he was serious. Unfortunately, he was. One of my favorite concepts is to "Work like you own it", which basically means that regardless of your job title you should approach it with zeal, commitment, and pride. One thing I did not explain, however, is that if you are a manager, and you want your staff to work like they own it, then you have to treat them like they own it.]]></description>
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<title>Make Each Touchpoint Memorable - Cha-Ching!</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/4368705</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/4368705</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 27 May 2010 20:39:48 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The entire customer experience is comprised of several touchpoints. A touchpoint is any interaction between a customer and your business. For each touchpoint, you could either make a deposit or a withdrawal. More deposits equal more customer engagement, and more withdrawals equal less engagement. Pretty simple right? ]]></description>
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<title>Service Ambassadors - The Key to Providing World-Class Service</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3756835</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3756835</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:59:59 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It's amazing who some business owners and managers allow to represent their company. On a recent trip, I stopped at a sandwich shop to order some lunch. ]]></description>
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<title>Service Superstars - Work Like You Own It</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3751546</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3751546</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:03:03 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Years ago, when I reported for my first day of work as a restaurant busboy, the maitre'd said something to me that I have never forgotten. He said, "I want you to work in this restaurant like you own it". I remember thinking..."what on earth does he mean by that?" Not long thereafter, the implication hit me, and I never looked at a job the same again.]]></description>
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<title>5 Star Employees Part 3</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/3248275</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/3248275</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:49:29 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[5-star employees have a tremendous impact on their guests, their team, and their company. These 5-star employees take immense pride in their jobs and refuse to settle for anything less than giving exceptional service. In this article, we will review 3 commitments and conclude with the mantra of a 5-star employee.]]></description>
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<title>5 Star Employees Part 2</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2912676</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2912676</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:08:33 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[5-star employees understand that every customer is priceless.   If you are a manager and you are reading this, please ensure that your 5-star employees are surrounded by other 5-star employees.  These employees yearn to work with team mates who care like they care...who push like they push...and who serve like they serve.  From a 5-star employees' perspective, there is nothing better than giving 5-star service in a 5-star organization run by 5-star leaders.]]></description>
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<title>5 Star Employees Part 1</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2912628</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2912628</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:07:57 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[5-star leaders are committed to only one standard: Excellence.  They expect nothing less from themselves or from their team.  While it is important to describe excellent leadership, it is also important to describe another key piece of the service excellence puzzle...the "5-star employee".  5-star employees are equally passionate with excellence and take great pride in engaging their customers with purpose-driven service.]]></description>
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<title>Excellent Customer Service - What If Every Employee Served Like a Concierge?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2600639</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2600639</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:35:08 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Employees often feel constrained by their job titles. Doormen should mainly open doors, massage therapists should mainly give massage treatments, and room attendants should mainly clean rooms. This type of constraint can inhibit the potential creativity and zeal that employees experience in their jobs.  I've held close to 20 different roles in the hospitality industry, ranging from busboy to corporate training director, but only one role truly allowed me to "break free".  That role was as a concierge, and being a concierge was purely about anticipating, organizing, and delivering exceptional service.]]></description>
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<title>Employee Excellence - Building a Team of Living it Employees</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2600676</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2600676</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:28:03 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Every team has three types of employees... those who are hearing it, believing it, and living it. My hope is that by the end of this article, you will have a firm grasp on which group of employees has the greatest potential to help the team reach its goal of being world-class.  First, allow me to explain that the "it" in hearing it, etc., has nothing to do with one's competency or years of service in a given role. "It" refers to the level of commitment that employees have in their role, team, and organization. I am referring to how emotionally vested they are.]]></description>
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<title>5 Star Leadership - What Does it Take to Be a 5 Star Leader?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2273630</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2273630</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:51:22 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Low expectations promote average and low performance, while high expectations promote high performance. I've heard many managers of low-performing teams blame their staff for the teams' low performance. "Oh, we can't find good people", "we don't pay high wages, etc." All of those excuses are surmountable. I've seen businesses in the same city or even on the same street, providing the same product, hire from the same labor pool, and yet have vastly different service experiences.]]></description>
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<title>5 Star Service Vs 4 Star Service - What's the Difference?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2273588</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2273588</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:49:17 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In a 5 star establishment, excellence is demanded from everyone every day. Mistakes are always reviewed. Follow through is always done.  The best employees are always recognized. Everyone works like they have a personal stake in the property.  To put it bluntly, good is never good enough...employees in 5 star properties strive to be perfect all the time.]]></description>
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<title>Hiring and Engaging a World-Class Service Team</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/2273574</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/2273574</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:45:31 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When I was hired over a decade ago to join a hotel, the general manager told me that if in 6-months the team was not better as a result of me being hired, then I've failed.  Wow, what pressure! He explained that, just like on a sports team, the primary purpose of bringing in new players is not to take up space on the roster, but rather to help the team win more games. At that moment, I realized that he was not just looking for another "warm body". I could tell that this would be a different place to work.]]></description>
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<title>Delivering World-Class Service - Personal Service Standards</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1596236</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1596236</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:46:03 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Escort guests rather than pointing out directions...Never say "it's not my job"...Answer the phone with a smile...These are all examples of service standards. Companies use them to train their staff. For service to become truly a way of life, however, such standards must be embraced by each individual on the team. I must want to escort guests...I must want to answer the phone in 3 rings, and I must want to offer assistance if a customer appears lost. ]]></description>
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<title>Delivering World-Class Service Part 3 - Function Vs Purpose</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1596329</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1596329</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2008 09:46:33 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[What is the difference between the doorman opening the hotel's door and the doorman providing a welcoming experience?  Or what is the difference between the housekeeper changing the bed sheets and the housekeeper ensuring that the guest has a clean, comfortable bed to sleep in?  Some people may say they are actually the same thing, but others would say that one drives the other.  One is the function and the other is the purpose.]]></description>
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<title>Delivering World-Class Service Part 2 - Company Service Standards</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1596268</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1596268</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2008 09:46:25 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When building a strong service culture, it is important to have an inspiring vision and mission statement; but they only provide the context.  Service standards, on the other hand, are the "nuts and bolts" of how you serve.  They are the specific behaviors that you expect from yourself and your team in the ongoing journey to deliver engaging service.  Standards such as "I attentively listen to others" and "I will always give a gracious goodbye", are clear and apply to everyone from the CEO to the housekeeper.]]></description>
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<title>Guest Problem Resolution 101 - Power of the Follow Up</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1256196</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1256196</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:47:01 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Follow-up is an art form.  Some people have it down to a science.  In many ways, one of the biggest differences between good, great, and engaging service is the quality of the follow-up.  So what is the first step towards mastering this rare art form?  It can be summed up in one phrase: Take ownership.  Take ownership of whatever the issue is... that's it.]]></description>
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<title>Customer Engagement - 7 Principles To Fully Engage Your Customers - Part 2</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1190235</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1190235</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2008 10:57:48 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Let 2008 be the year where exceptional service is not just a buzzword or flavor of the month.  Commit to not settling for "good" or acceptable service delivery from your team (and yourself).  Only exceptional service will do.  Fully engaging your customers requires dedication, commitment, and action.  Follow the 7 principles, and your customers will always follow you.]]></description>
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<title>Customer Engagement - 7 Principles to Fully Engage Your Customers - Part 1</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1110900</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1110900</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:18:58 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Engaging your customers begins with understanding how your customers would like to be served. This is regardless if they happen to be in a hospital, hotel, spa, bank, law office, travel agency, or a taxi. The declaration is clear.]]></description>
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<title>I Am a Service Professional</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/1009771</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/1009771</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:04:36 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[True service professionals are a company's biggest asset, and many customers will become loyal because of them.  They will spend more money because of them, and they will refer their family and friends because of them. ]]></description>
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<title>World Class Service - In a Car Dealership?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/964013</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/964013</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:30:01 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When we think of world-class service, images of luxury hotels and country clubs usually fill our minds.  What about car dealerships? I know what you must be thinking..."surely he means a Bentley dealership or some other top-line car".  ]]></description>
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<title>Three Universal Rules of Service Excellence</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/964010</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/964010</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:29:31 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Whenever I deliver a keynote, training workshop, or explain my company's service philosophy, I begin with an in-depth discussion on the three service rules.  They are the Golden Rule, Platinum Rule, and Double Platinum Rule. ]]></description>
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<title>To Engage - Listen to the Voice of Your Customer</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/964002</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/964002</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:27:28 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Some people believe that poor is the opposite of excellent, while others believe that excellence is the ONLY standard that matters.  For those who commit to excellence, providing engaging service is the only standard worth striving for.]]></description>
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<title>Service Excellence - A Destination or a Journey?</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/942983</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/942983</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:45:09 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Appreciate where you are, but imagine where you could be.  That is the mantra of continuous improvement.  World-class hotels, restaurants, and spas are never content with the status-quo.  Good is not good enough.  They believe that running an exceptional operation is like studying for a 100% on a test; they will prepare for 100% accuracy, but if they get a few wrong, they may still get an A...which is far better than a C.]]></description>
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<title>Excellent Customer Service - The Greatest Bellmen I Ever Met</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/942973</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/942973</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:43:28 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In my current role as a consultant and trainer, I travel quite regularly, and am able to experience service at some of the finest hotels in the world.  In fact, I consider myself to be an expert in not only assessing world-class service, but delivering world-class service as well.  During a recent business trip to Chicago, Illinois, I stayed at one of that city's finest hotels, and was thoroughly impressed with the flawless execution of virtually every service detail. ]]></description>
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<title>Engaging Service Part 1 - Not Just For The Chic</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/942941</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/942941</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:42:27 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[For those who believe that engaging service only happens in fancy places like chic hotels and restaurants, allow me to share a recent story with you.  A few weeks ago, my wife and I were running some errands, and we decided to stop in at a restaurant for lunch.  As soon as we entered, there was a huge welcome awaiting us. The hostess, manager, and at least two of the servers all gave a hearty greeting, and made sure we felt like royalty.  ]]></description>
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<title>Engaging Service Part 2 - It's All About The Culture</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/942931</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/942931</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:41:31 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It's been said that one bad apple can spoil the bunch.  Well what if the entire apple tree was bad to begin with?  Let's pretend that the "apple tree" is a company's culture, and the "apples" are the workforce.  Most times, it is the company's culture that will dictate how the workforce performs.  Even if the culture isn't displayed on catchy mottos or mission statements, you can bet that it exists.]]></description>
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<title>Engage Every Customer - One Touchpoint at a Time</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/942911</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/942911</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:40:26 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Engaging your customers is not rocket science.  With all of the articles, books, blogs, videos and conferences that are available, it can seem that creating an engaging service experience requires a lifetime worth of training.  Not true.  If you asked me, "how can we improve our service tomorrow?", I would advise you to begin with your touchpoints.  I'm sure that you have heard this word before, but I'll go ahead and define it anyway. ]]></description>
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<title>To Engage the Customer, You Must Engage Those Directly Serving the Customer</title>
<link>http://EzineArticles.com/911578</link>
<guid>http://EzineArticles.com/911578</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:25:22 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This article focuses on how to create an exceptional service experience for your customers by engaging your team.  It's hard to give what you don't have, so it is important for your employees to feel taken care of so they can, in turn, take care of the company's customers.  This article gives some practical ideas on how this can be done.]]></description>
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