Courtesy of HotelManagement.Net
The world has changed. Customers now have all the information they need to decide where they wish to visit, what they want to buy, and what services they require.
With an attention span of 90 seconds or less (at 140 characters each time), business as usual isn’t going to cut it for the Facebook and Twitter generation. The game has changed from word of mouth to world of mouse.
Sentosa’s WAVE ensures that guest centric values are instilled in all employees (courtesy of Sentosa)
What distinguishes service stars from other establishments? Is there a magic formula?
Well, the answer is less to do with rocket science than with investing in people.
Gary Vaynerchuk has been “crushing” it ever since he was a teenager helping out in his family’s wine business. And his latest book shows how he does it.
Written by the straight-talking serial entrepreneur and founder of Winelibrary.com, The Thank You Economy presents a no-holds-barred approach to how businesses can leverage on the power of social media.
Ensure that all customer touchpoints are branded (courtesy of Marketing Brainstorm)
You’ve probably heard variations of these conversations in your own organisation:
“Our branding sucks! Let’s change our logo and splash it all over the place.”
Contrary to our initial perceptions, Canada (well at least the Vancouver-Banff-Jasper stretch) generally offered a decent dining experience. While the variety and pedigree of their cuisine can’t quite match that of Singapore, I do enjoy the experience of dining out in Canada.
First, almost every place offered a vegetarian, vegan, or healthier dining option. This was great for a semi-veggie like me trying to eat more healthily, ethically and sustainably. Many of the restaurants or cafes were also quite flexible and willing to make changes to their menu to suit your taste.
Enjoying a veggie sandwich and a vegan burger at a pub-diner in Jasper
One of the most befuddling things I encounter, day after working day as a bus commuter, is this:
Why are the same crowded buses always crowded?
Magic shows always work because kids loved to be astonished
Have you wondered why kids like birthday or Christmas presents so much? Or why teens and youths enjoy watching the latest “Lady Gaga” music video?
I believe that it is captured in a single word: Surprise.
Courtesy of Naked Singapore
After a long and tiring day at work, I had my dinner at a coffeeshop in Chinatown and was waiting for my usual buses back home. The bus stop was pretty crowded with weary commuters.
While waiting for my bus, I noticed something unusual.
Don’t ever assume that your customers are the exact duplicate of you. Chances are, they aren’t.
There are so many reasons why they may be different. Human beings are such complex creatures that entire disciplines like anthropology, sociology and psychology have evolved in desperate bids to understand their behaviours.
Ibu Oka’s Babi Guling at Ubud
Bali has always held special meaning to me and my wife. It was on this tropical island that we had our honeymoon way back in January 2003. Back then, I was so inspired by the holiday experience and customer encounters that I wrote an article that was published in the Straits Times on the legendary hospitality of Balinese.
Sadly things have changed, even at Ubud (Bali’s cultural heart) which is supposedly less mercantilist than Kuta, Uluwatu or the coastal cities. While its verdant and pastoral landscapes have largely remained, the ugly effects of commercialisation and gentrification have left major scars on the island.