Never before in my middle age, have I experienced customer service that was so good I felt compelled to write about it. My wife and I are pretty hard to please (Helen heads up a global luxury retail brand here in Australia). But after a near perfect visit to Nel restaurant in Sydney at the weekend, allow me to share my learnings for professional services firms.
First up, don’t underestimate the power of social media. A client of Helen had made a raving post about the restaurant that put it on our radar.
Then we visited the website which has 626 great Google reviews! Very easy to navigate with a short high quality video introducing the concept, chef and the food. They only do degustation menus which makes them very different. On offer at this time, the ‘Great British Menu’, right on message to pommies who cannot travel back home at this time.
The themed menu has various packages available including basic and premium wines to compliment the food. Upsell and cross sell anyone? Everything is premium pricing to be honest, nothing about this is ‘cheap’ but it is all about VALUE.
Premium clientele and high net worth individuals can be sometimes difficult to impress as they visit top restaurants and hotels regularly and understand what excellent service looks like. Here I thought our hosts excelled themselves.
We were greeted both by first name and the organisation under which the booking was made. We were asked whether or not we had been before. When we replied no, my only criticism is that they didn’t take the opportunity to learn how we had heard about them. They took our coats, explained how the service would work and the timescales we should expect. The attention to detail thereafter to create ambience was first class.
The Beatles, David Bowie, Oasis, The Smiths…classic British tunes discreetly playing in the background.
The planning, preparation, teamwork and communication to deliver eleven perfect courses was spot on. The storytelling as to the inspiration for each dish and the ingredients was enlightening. Stories always sell. You might call this superior product knowledge.
Whilst there were specific time settings, we were not rushed out at the end of our meal from our main host who had been attentive without being overbearing throughout.
Then came the follow up. Which many professionals forget. An email arrives asking for feedback directly by email and offering the link to leave a Google review. Then there is an offer to share your experience with others via a gift card. Referrals anyone? Then there are links to their social media platforms where you are invited to keep up to date with menu changes and current offers. They want to stay front of mind!
Finally, a personal note from the owner and I quote. “Remember goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean we’ll miss you. Until we meet again. And hopefully that will be soon.”
When was the last time you wrote a note of thanks to a client? Maybe even a handwritten card.
My challenge to you all is to create a client experience that is so good it inspires somebody to share it with thousands of others as I have just done. Over to you.