Dr. Chris Bart has been a presenter at the OREA Leadership Conference on a variety of topics, but his presentation on The Service Mission is especially relevant as we head into National Customer Service week next week. I had a chance to sit down and talk with Chris about this topic in this month’s video podcast.
View the video interview on The Service Mission
I must admit that, having worked in customer service for decades, it still surprises me that we still struggle with getting it right – that we haven’t mastered great service yet. My conversation with Chris, however, reminded me of the tough challenges that organizations can face in achieving exceptional levels of service. One of the most common is that organizations lose focus on the goal of extraordinary service, despite how critical we all seem to agree it is. Keeping everyone focused is an ongoing effort.
On a quick web search of a sampling of local real estate association mission statements, Chris found that none of them had mentioned service in their mission statements. As he said in the interview, “As a result of not making it a priority, the organization can’t focus on it because they don’t know they should be concentrating on it; and the staff can’t get engaged around the activities required to give customers what they want.”
The service that Chris talks about is not based on being pleasant and prompt. He observes, “Service has changed. It’s not just the basics. It’s about recognition and special treatment; knowing members on a personal level. It’s about realizing that everyone’s requirements are not necessarily the same, so you might have to think about putting some uniqueness to it.”
Dr. Bart is well qualified to provide insights on this topic. He is currently a Professor of Strategic Market Leadership (Strategy & Governance) at the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University. He’s won awards for his teaching and his work on governance. Chris is also a leading authority on mission and vision statements.
For more insights from Chris, view the full interview:
Title: The Service Mission
Featuring: Dr. Chris Bart, professor, author, keynote speaker and founder of The Directors College
Length: 8 minutes
Check out more podcasts from the OREA Centre for Leadership Development.
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