Customer Service in UAE and UK

I was recently interviewed by Swindon Local Radio as part of my work with Swindon Coaching Team. I was asked to compare customer service in UAE with that of UK. I posted on the EIU Opinion Leaders' Panel and got this response: That's interesting as I see the lack of authority as a widespread problem in customer service, not just in the UAE. We did some research earlier this year on the future of customer service and one of our key findings was that customer service leaders are much more likely to empower their staff to make decisions when resolving customer issues, compared with average firms. And while weaker firms are investing more heavily in standardised service processes, leading firms are prioritising staff training and development. Here's the link to the full report - Service 2020 - hope you find it of interest: http://www.businessresearch.eiu.com/service-2020.html

here is an extract

Lessons from service leaders

If customer service is going to be increasingly important in the decade ahead, what are the leading practitioners already doing differently today? In our survey, about 16% of executives describe their firms as “excellent” at customer service, relative to their peers. Segmenting these firms against those that rate themselves as merely average, or below average, yields some insights into how some leading customer service practitioners are working:

• While the average firms of today compete primarily on quality, service leaders unsurprisingly already prioritise customer service as their competitive differentiator, far ahead of cost. In line with this, these firms are far more systematic about implementing proper systems for tracking customer feedback and complaints, as well as identifying potential service weaknesses. Nearly 50% more have these in place, ahead of weaker rivals.

• Three quarters of customer service leaders have empowered their staff to make decisions when resolving customer issues, compared with less than half among average firms. And while weaker firms are investing more heavily in standardised service processes, leading firms are prioritising staff training and development, and also working harder to define service standards and goals.

• While both strong and weak service firms see information-enabled consumers as a major driver for change in recent years, weaker firms think communications technology is the primary driver, while leaders see competition as the defining force.

• Service leaders are more focussed on social media already: they monitor it more closely, use it more often to connect with clients and generally collect more external data to feed into their tracking systems. Related to this, a far higher proportion of leaders say their firms are excellent, or above average, at using technology to understand their customers.

• Finally, while service leaders expect to use service to stand out from the crowd, it is largely only the weaker firms that expect typically to charge a premium for this service.

Away in the UAE

We have been undertaking work in Customer Service for the Abu Dhabi Municipality during 2010 and 2011 so this blog was not updated

The Plunge -Enterprise Training for Student Success

Given the right Working Knowledge people are motivated, teams are effective and organisations succeed.

The Working Knowledge Group exists to bridge the gap between education and the workplace. We help the people and organisations we work with to realise their potential and build capacity with innovative and engaging programmes that have long lasting positive impact. Working Knowledge's activities cover a wide spectrum, preparing young people for the workplace, including those in 14-19 Education and Higher Education, through to those already in work with Management Education.

TWKG Ran a three day event called The Plunge
What is The Plunge?
Essentially a cross between The Apprentice and Dragons Den, 'The Plunge' is a business challenge over three days involving students aged 14-19 years in Further and Secondary Education. This event takes students through the creation of a viable business idea and onto a series of group-based workshops in money, sales and marketing, people and operations. In essence, a series of innovative and highly interactive workshops that both simulate a real working environment while informing the students in business concepts and language.
Teams subsequently spend 15 minutes in each of four advisor meetings with business experts who evaluate teams on such characteristics as their presentation, negotiation. listening and teamwork skills. The Team then go on to pitch their business to a panel of judges.

David Rigby was one of the experts advising seven teams of six students undertaking the plunge advising on Vision, Leadership and Motivation. One of the key benefits from attending was the learning from sharing with other experts, watching the students develop was another.

Swindon Coaching Team

David Rigby from Riggours was pleased to be on of the representatives of Swindon Coaching Team at its appearance at Swindon Coaching Team

Wednesday 22nd September at the Swindon Connections meeting in the National Self-Build Centre in Swindon from 6:00pm to 8:30pm. Cost is £10+VAT which includes light refreshments: for venue and to book go to event page. Those of you who attended the last one of these in July will know the added benefit of great networking and good visiting speakers.

On Wednesday 29th September we are doing a lunch time drop in event again at the popular Old Bank wine bar in Wood Street Swindon SN1 4AB between 12 noon and 2pm. Drop in anytime. No need to book, and no cost except the drinks you buy!

Let me know if you want to receive the SCT newsletter or a discounted coaching session from SCT.

The Art and Science of Excellence

Wednesday, 1 September 2010

Motivating Clients to be their very best

RiggoursFreemind Special Offer

As many as 50 to 85% of people believe they could double their productivity “If I wanted to”………and they don’t want to.’ Public agenda surveys: Huseman and Hatfield University of Georgia School of Management

How do you get at that productivity?

Many Organisations have undertaken Process Improvement; Change Management;
Business Transformation; Quality Initiatives, IIP; Team Building; Leadership
- You may get maximum from organisation but not from individuals


The power behind a great performance
Neuro Linguistic Programming, Emotional Intelligence; Resilience Coaching; Positive Psychology can help individuals deliver. You need the right tools for the job, the power of belief and to be driven by Values.


How can you achieve this?
Coach everyone individually?
Train everyone in NLP, Emotional Intelligence, Resilience and positive psychology?
Result: should be positive
Cost: Astronomical? OR.........

Riggours Freemind Solution
* Coach and Train the top guys
* Use Freemind with everyone

FreeMind creates automated training toolkits that combine advanced life-changing technology, inspiring psychology training and motivational music to empower people to bring the best of themselves to life.

FreeMind is a library of training and development recordings that you can download and use within minutes to improve every area of your life. The recordings are packed full of tips, techniques and specially designed inspirational music that makes these experiences engaging, exciting and incredibly powerful.


* No time out on training
* No expensive hotels and conferences
* Enjoyable and embedded in mind with music
* Reusable and memorable recordings
* Tailored and used when needed

Only RiggoursFreemind offers this unique proposition

Check out www.Riggours.com for more information about RiggoursLtd

Check out www.FreemindUnlimited.com for more information on FreeMind.

07788 425688
David@RiggoursFreemind.co.uk
Facebook: Riggours coaching and consulting
http://riggours.blogspot.com/
www.riggours.com www.riggoursFreemind.co.uk

Vanishing Blog

Apologies for no blog for a while - due to another family bereavement
Catch Up Soon

Seamus

Our dog Seamus died today
6 Dec 1998 - 25 Feb 2010