Bad-mannered front of house staff are the main reason that over half of South East professionals (52%) are put off from doing business with other companies, according to research carried out on service excellence.
More than one in three (37%) businesses would also be discouraged from working with other companies based on poorly presented staff. The survey, commissioned by serviced office operator Business Environment, polled 1,000 businesses across the UK.
Just a quarter (26%) of those questioned were familiar with their own company’s service standards. By comparison, half understood their HR policy and 44% their company structure.
The results demonstrate a real lack of focus on customer service, says John Edwards, Senior Centre Manager at the Milton Keynes serviced offices: “No matter what the core service or product that you are offering, high customer service levels remain essential, particularly in today’s competitive business landscape.
“Ensuring staff understand and are rewarded for delivering excellent service should be part of every company’s culture. This is why service standards are so important.”
Business Environment is standing by its call for businesses to invest in better customer service as it launches its Service Excellence Guarantee Guide this week, the first to be produced by an office space provider. Within it are guidelines on all areas of the business, from front of house service to cooling and heating systems in offices, presentation of staff and emergency procedures for power failures.
“We’re so confident in our ability to provide a top level service that we’re putting our promises in black and white for everyone to see,” added Edwards. “In the serviced office sector where it is essential that our clients get the most out of their working day, the service levels provided by us can be crucial in providing a successful working environment.”
The research also revealed that over one quarter (26%) of UK workers do not believe their company delivers a good service to its clients.
