THE ENTERPRISE ON STAGE

- PERFORMING IN THE
SERVICE THEATER

NIGEL A.L. BROOKS

THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Article reprint
 THE ENTERPRISE ON STAGE
- PERFORMING IN THE SERVICE THEATER

Enterprises that offer service-oriented products, such as in the financial

services, hospitality, and transportation industries, are very dependent
upon their service cultures to shape their identities to gain competitive
advantage. However, the quality of service delivery is a factor also for
product-oriented enterprises, including restaurants and retailers. Both
product-oriented and service-oriented enterprises owe much of their
reputation to the manner in which the employees on the front line present
themselves in person and on the phone. Behaviors such as acknowledging
customers by name, smiles, and expressions of gratitude can make a
difference.

Some service enterprises are intentionally designed with a cultural theme

in mind, such as ethnic bars, cafes, and restaurants. If so, they had better
stick with it, otherwise customers will feel out of place. However, all
enterprises that deliver service-oriented products, and those where quality
of service delivery is a differentiator for products, develop a service
culture over time that impacts their reputation.

A place of business is a service theater - the enterprise is on stage and in

the public view at all times such that the:

● Stage is the customer service area

● Employees are the actors
● Customers are the audience
● Suppliers provide the costumes and props
● Press and social networking websites provide the reviews
● Management is both producer and director

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Management must establish service quality standards and enforce them
through the use of mystery shoppers and surveys. Customer confidence,
trust, and loyalty increase when employees are perceived as:

● Caring
● Clean and well-groomed
● Competent
● Courteous
● Helpful
● Polite
● Reliable
● Responsive
● Welcoming

The concept a service theater does not just apply to physical locations -
call centers are service theaters too. How service representatives behave
on the phone affects the customers' perception of the enterprise.
Customers can hear smiles, and will be attentive to "please" and "thank
you" statements. When customer service centers are outsourced, service
quality standards of the provider must be established in line with those of
the enterprise, or better.

For all of the efforts to advertise and promote the enterprise and its
products and/or services, the moments of truth are when the customer first:

● Meets the employee on the front line, either in person or on the

phone, and service is delivered

● Uses the product and/or service

First impressions count.

Management must recognize that all employees must take breaks and relax
from time-to-time. However, when traffic slows and it's time to lean, it's
also time to clean. The most important indicator of service quality to
customers is the condition of the bathrooms in the enterprise's facilities -
their condition is a key indicator of the gap between stated and enacted
values, and the resulting culture.

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With the advent of "web 2.0" and the trend towards posting customer
experiences on social networking and other websites, enterprises have to
be more concerned about how they are perceived than just from reviews in
the press. Word of mouth is the best form of marketing.

Performing in the service theater is an enterpriship (entrepreneurship,

leadership, and management) competency.

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For more information...

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About Nigel A.L Brooks...

Nigel A.L Brooks is a management consultant to entrepreneurs, business

enterprise owners, executives, and managers, and the enterprises they
serve. He specializes in developing the entrepreneurial, leadership, and
managerial competencies that build sustainable advantage from vision to
value. He is an author and a frequent speaker.

He obtained his professional experience as a partner at Andersen

Consulting (now Accenture, Ltd.), as a vice president at Booz Allen
Hamilton, Inc. (now Booz and Company), as a senior vice president at the
American Express Company, as president of Javazona Cafes, Inc., and as
president of The Business Leadership Development Corporation. He has
been a contributing editor for the Bank Administration Institute magazine,
and has served on boards of entrepreneurial networks. He was educated at
the University of Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom.

His clients are in the financial services, food services, high-tech,

manufacturing and distribution, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, professional
services, retail and wholesale, transportation, and government industries.

He has experience in North and Latin America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

www.nigelalbrooks.com

About The Business Leadership Development Corporation (BLD)...

The Business Leadership Development Corporation is a professional

services firm that works with entrepreneurs, lifestyle business enterprise
owners, executives, and managers, and the enterprises they serve.

BLD develops entrepreneurial, leadership, and managerial competencies

that achieve performance excellence by building sustainable advantage
from vision to value through:

 Strategic Management Consulting

 Executive Coaching and Mentoring
 Professional Training via The Center For Business Leadership
Development (CBLD)
 Motivational Speaking

www.bldsolutions.com

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www.bldsolutions.com
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