In my business it takes two to three weeks of training before we expect someone to undertake a survey like that.

We were discussing empathy.....

... and she had worked out that her conversations would last a few more seconds as she stopped to think about the situation, looked at things from the customer's viewpoint and delivered some words that demonstrated to the customer that she understood how the customer feels.

Sometimes as a trainer you get moments like these.  You stand there like a rabbit trapped in the headlights wondering what to say next.

So, practising what I preach, I took a deep breath, stopped to think about the situation, looked at things from her point of view and said a few words that demonstrated to her that I could "imagine" the pressure she must be under.

She immediately relaxed, sighed, smiled and within moments we were having a different kind of conversation.  Throwing around ideas as to how she could change a few things here and a few things there.

And then I reviewed the last 5 minutes with her; what she had said; what I had said and what had happened between us. 

I saw the lightbulb come on over her head.  She's now an empathy convert.

Every time Nick opened his mouth, he was shouted down by people who didn't want to listen to him.  If he had been allowed to finish his sentences we might all have learnt more and been able to form better opinions regarding his beliefs. (I personally think he would have buried himself, instead the real views of the BNP are still a mystery to many)

In front line customer service we often hear things we don't like; for example, when customers criticise us, or get things obviously wrong and then blame us.  If we can learn to LISTEN to these things without butting in or reacting in a negative way we will be better able to respond with a positive frame of mind.

Next time a customer expresses an opinion that you don't agree with, take a deep breath and keep listening.  Don't interrupt.

They emailed to tell us that we had not been successful and that they had been “inundated” with tenders.

So I emailed them to ask how many had tendered. This is the reply I received:

“I was surprised to receive over 180 expressions of interest which were followed up by 49 costed submissions within the time frame and another 6 which we received too late to be included. I was surprised as this is quite a small piece of work really”.

What a scandalous waste of precious Small Business Resources! There has to be a better way. 

Giving us free access to tender opprotunities is not the answer.  All this will do is encourage yet more small business to waste yet more precious hours.

OK, we might save c£180 per year but this is a small amount compared to the cost of actually trying to get public sector work.  The completion of the forms and the writing of tender documents costs £,000s.

We want to see an easier tendering process.  We want to see one standard Pre Qualification Questionnaire that we complete once per year and which is available for all in public sector procurement to see. 

And, we want to be treated with a bit of respect.  You get all excited about a possible piece of work and then you read "must demonstrate experience of public sector work".  I now know what a school leaver feels like "can't get a job because I've got no experience ... can't get experience because I can't get a job"

I called one local authority to ask why I needed public sector experience to run a customer service training course.  I got the telephone equivalent of a pat on the head and a  "you just wouldn't understand..."

Perhaps is just hard for those of us selling services.  If I supply a product to a local authority I can match the specification they require and as long as I'm the cheapest, I've probably got a fair chance of the business.  But with services its not so clear cut.

So we will continue to survive and thrive in the private sector.  Thanks for the generous £180 saving - but no thanks.

Read our comments in recent Daily Telegraph article: http://tinyurl.com/q8fs7f

Thanks also to Argo Business Blog for the mention: http://tinyurl.com/kpv5gz

Expect a good market research agency to challenge your objectives and your survey questions.  That's what we're in business to do.  In fact be wary of any market research agency that doesn't challenge what you want to achieve.

And, when the market research agency says: "please may we meet your client to clarify some points?", it doesn't mean that we don't trust you.  It means that like you, we want to serve your client to the very best of our abilities and sometimes there is no substitute for a direct meeting. 

A direct meeting can also cut set-up times dramatically because it spares the need for us to send questions to you, you to send questions to the client, the client to then answer to you .... and so on. 

We're not trying to steal the client from you, we won't knock you in front of them, in fact it is in our interests to show that we have built a solid relationship with you based upon mutual trust and understanding. (Which is all we ever want)

The three parties working together create a win/win/win situation.  One that delivers the very best research, which mean a very happy client for you and a very happy client for us.

And sometimes we forget to do this before setting off.  It's then you discover that you have to buy a bag at a price of £1.00 for a packet of 4 from a vending machine.   I witnessed more than one weary traveller at 06.15 being told "you'll have to get one from the machine over there" (disinterested pointing followed).

Later that same day, on approaching the security area at Edinburgh airport for my return flight, I was greeted by a very chearful person with an armful of bags, he was giving advise and offering a free bag to anyone who needed one.  A small gesture but one with a big impact.

Given a choice, where do you think I would fly from?  OK, I have to fly from Bristol because it is close by where I live but how I wish I had more choice!  I bet they wouldn't charge for bags then. 

It's often the little things that make or break a customer experience.

(And, I haven't even mentioned yet that Bristol Airport also charges for the use of their trolleys and £17.00 per day to park your car).

The contact arrived, we paid up front and gave our client the good news.  Then DISASTER!

The delivery was 4 days late, large areas weren't delivered to, we asked for reports on what was going on and we didn't get them for 2 weeks.

So I called the MD and got this "Our terms and conditions are all over our web site"  And indeed they are.

In its small print, this company, Mailbox Nationwide, promises no more than 80% coverage and doesn't promise to hit your delivery deadlines.  The use of "CAN DO" means "well, we can do it if we want to be bothered but if we don't - tough!"

I'm still coming to terms with who is the idiot here.  Me for trusting the words of a fellow MD and then not reading the small print or them for so blatantly misrepresenting their company over the phone.

I've come to the conclusion that it is them.  Businesses built on trust, honesty and mutual understanding will flourish.  Those that show none of these traits and no empathy or understanding either when things go wrong will not retain customers.

One of our team relates to an email he was sent by a well know budget airline with a link to a market research survey asking him about his recent flight experience:-

"There was a 5 point Likert Scale going about its business with a long list of questions. One question was; Your rating of the in-flight trolley service?

I didn't partake of the service so skipped the question. On hitting the link to the next page I got one of those warning messages YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETED ONE QUESTION

So... back I went to look for the N/A choice ("silly me... must have missed it!"). but it wasn't there. So I tried again to move on and got the same warning message.

I had to make a choice, abandon the survey or make something up".

I made something up and really didn't take the rest of the survey seriously. (A few random answers were provided by way of revenge).