Venues
Thank you to all those members who have suggested alternative venues in response to Sue and Joan’s request. They are being explored for viability and cost, so we hope to be going to some interesting new places in 2019 for our normal monthly meetings.
Our wine tasting on 5th June will be in a new venue – Bankside Gallery – come and appreciate the Art and the Wines.
New Members
Guests are turning into members – two more joined last month and another is in the wings. We already have an interesting, diverse group but new members make it even more so.
Who could you invite who would benefit from xtending their circle of contacts?
What did you miss on 7th March?
Well, a lady in a red jacket for a start – Sue Milton spoke knowledgeably and somewhat frustratedly about the need for governance to change.
The Future Path of Good Governance
Because of the scandals of the past, governance needs to improve and boards need to hold CEOs to account (managing internal controls, pay, risk etc). The Auditor’s role needs to be redefined. The FRC is bringing in more requirements for accounting and accountability.
Sue said 3 things are going on in a UK organization:
How does global risk map out? How important is it and what can we do about it?
Shape governance in a good way
IT – Digital Policy Alliance (now data threats as well as financial threats)
Sue’s suggestions:
A demand for institutional excellence: greater scrutiny over culture, appropriate behaviours and rewards.
IT will dominate the board agenda.
Health & Safety will expand to include Security.
Business models will have to change as a result.
Investor participation will increase.
Governance frameworks will change to explicitly place IT alongside strategy, culture, risk, outcomes.
Stewardship frameworks will demand clearer accountability, much more than statements that the firm is a ‘going concern’.
Sue’s conclusion is that we must match Institutional Excellence (how the firm works) with Technical Excellence (what the firm does).
Five Star Service
Paul Wearmouth, gave us the keys to a Five Star service which would be remembered by the customer.
He told us lots of stories as examples of good and bad customer service.
“When a customer leaves you with a smile from ear to ear…That’s 5 Star Service”
“When a customer is raving to other people about how good you are and how much you care…that’s 5 Star Service”
“When a customer leaves you beyond satisfied…that’s 5 Star Service”
And the way to achieve those ratings is to – PERSONALISE
Personalised engagement grabs Attention…with attention comes Interest and with interest comes Attachment to us, our products & services and the business
“Engagement turns a transaction in to an interaction”
For personalisation to work, employees need to be empowered to make the decision to switch the champagne to orange juice for someone who doesn’t drink!
“Customer expectations aren’t difficult. Most customers have a very basic expectation of what they want see/hear and feel from you and your business…they want what you want”
“Great service is given by great people”
You tube – Johnny bagger – service
The video is a heartwarming example of a simple creative act by someone unexpected, which has far reaching effects.
Johnny has Down’s syndrome and is a bag packer in a supermarket. The Customer Service workshop leader told participants that they could give customers something which would make a difference and keep them coming back. Johnny didn’t think he could do anything but then came up with the idea of finding a ‘thought for the day’. He printed them out and made copies and put one in every bag he finished packing saying, ‘Thank you for shopping with us.’ Customers started queuing for the till he was bagging at. And the idea of giving the customer something extra spread throughout the store…….
The moral of the story is – Great service comes from the heart.
Spring cleaning time for your home and your profile!
A reminder to clean up your act by completing your XTEND profile if you haven’t already or to update your Linkedin entry.
In good time for GDPR…………….
Thank you for reading this far – come and hear Graham Jones and Lincoln Coutts on 9th April at the Lansdowne Club. Starts at 5pm with Lincoln talking about LinkedIn and Graham at 6pm. First time guests are free. Drinks and nibbles at 7.30.