| The A.C.E.S. model of exceptional customer | | | | empowered with wealth of technical resources |
| service is a simple pneumonic and diagnostic | | | | close at hand. But he could not fix my |
| tool that will help you evaluate your | | | | problem in a timely manner. In the end, it |
| company's ability to deliver service to the | | | | took 2 hours to solve a problem that a more |
| customer. Once you have your diagnosis, you | | | | competent person could have solved in 20 |
| then know where to apply corrective measures | | | | minutes . I have been a loyal customer of |
| if needed.A.C.E.S. helps employees focus on | | | | Dell largely because of their tech support, |
| the three component parts of customer | | | | but their competence is deteriorating, and I |
| service. This model complements my 4 (and 7) | | | | am beginning to re-evaluate this position.If |
| laws of exceptional customer service.The ACES | | | | the employee is new, it may just be a matter |
| model is a simple formula | | | | of training. If training has been supplied |
| | | | and the employee is not becoming more |
| Attitude + Competence + Empowerment = | | | | competent, it is most likely a poor fit with |
| (exceptional) ServiceThe first component, | | | | the job.Position 3 is common with people who |
| Attitude, contains the attitudes and beliefs | | | | are often labeled as having low emotional |
| that are required to provide excellent | | | | intelligence. In fiction, this is often the |
| customer service. These include the basic | | | | crotchety engineer who can fix anything, just |
| imperative of providing service to others (as | | | | keep him away from other people. A person |
| oppose to oneself), of improving the | | | | who is often in this position may not be the |
| customer's condition, that problems are | | | | most appropriate person for customer service. |
| opportunities to excel, that positive energy | | | | This type of person may benefit from |
| and good humor are essential, and so on. The | | | | personal coaching to help shift his or her |
| attitude factor can be assessed at macro and | | | | attitude about the importance of Attitude. |
| micro levels including: the corporate | | | | When someone is stressed and having a "bad |
| culture, the overall workforce, the general | | | | day" they are often in position 3 for a brief |
| tendency of a given person, or the specific | | | | period of time.On a macro level, position 3 |
| communications during an interaction.The | | | | describes a company that values competence |
| second component is Competence. A positive | | | | and empowers its people to succeed, but does |
| attitude is only a consolation prize when | | | | not value customer service enough for people |
| competence is low. Many decades ago I was a | | | | to experience Exceptional Customer Service. |
| new waiter at an upscale restaurant. A | | | | Now many companies talk about the importance |
| patron asked me if there was mayonnaise in | | | | of customer service, but go no further than |
| the Caesar salad dressing. I checked with | | | | platitudes. A colleague of mine worked at a |
| the chef and was told there was no mayonnaise | | | | major metropolitan hospital. There were many |
| in the dressing. He ordered it and proceeded | | | | signs around the building touting the |
| to have a tremendous allergic reaction. I | | | | importance of the patient and the how the |
| had a great attitude, but I was less than | | | | hospital was committed to delivering the |
| fully competent. The dressing was made from | | | | highest quality of service. Unfortunately |
| scratch. No mayonnaise was added, but it was | | | | this was often an empty promise. For |
| made with the same ingredients, eggs and oil! | | | | instance, on the oncology unit the doctors |
| A competent food server would have known | | | | were rarely forthright with patients. Nurses |
| better. For that matter the chef should have | | | | had to go around doctors' backs to |
| known better as well.Employee competence is | | | | communicate more openly with patients and |
| largely derived from intimate knowledge with | | | | family. There was little teamwork and so on. |
| all aspects of the product and/or services | | | | Hardly the state-of-the-art in care.Finally |
| being offered. I live in Pennsylvania where | | | | only at position 4 do we really attain high |
| you can only buy wine in state-owned liquor | | | | quality customer service. On a personal |
| stores. While it has gotten somewhat better | | | | level, each individual must empower |
| in recent years, most sales people in these | | | | themselves to cultivate a positive attitude |
| stores could not describe the difference | | | | of service and competence. Empowerment also |
| between a Chardonnay and Ripple! I therefore | | | | means being willing to take a few judicious |
| do most of my wine shopping in another | | | | risks. The flight attendant I mentioned |
| state.In certain jobs, competence in the job | | | | earlier demonstrated a personal use of all |
| also requires the ability to handle people. | | | | three dimensions.At the macro level, position |
| I was on a USAirways flight that was fully | | | | 4 describes an organization with a true |
| booked. A man a few rows behind was angrily | | | | cultural attitude of service-to-others. It |
| attempting to jam his suitcase into the | | | | often requires significant corporate courage |
| overhead bin. He was so aggressive, that it | | | | to move into this level. It requires facing |
| looked like he was going to destroy the door. | | | | the truth about how the organization is not |
| The other passengers watching him began to | | | | implementing important values. IT requires |
| look a little nervous. The flight attendant | | | | spending near term money for longer term |
| arrived and, in the most perfect tone of | | | | goals. The organization makes sure its staff |
| voice (combining humor and boundary setting) | | | | and systems have the competence to act on the |
| said, "Are you trying to break my airplane?" | | | | attitude, and that people are actually |
| The man immediately stopped and allowed her | | | | empowered to use their competence. |
| to take care of his suitcase. Not wanting to | | | | Furthermore, the interaction effect of the |
| miss an opportunity at friendly jousting with | | | | convergence of these factors is highly |
| such an obviously talented person, I said, | | | | self-reinforcing. Working in such an |
| "Excuse me, but are your planes that easy to | | | | environment cultivates an even more positive |
| break?" She smiled and retorted, "Don't | | | | attitude. Employees are motivated from |
| worry honey. They give us lots of duct tape. | | | | within. Company morale is high. Companies |
| You can use duct tape for everything." | | | | that inculcate and empower their employees |
| (short pause) They even use it at the Miss | | | | usually raise the bar of competence to higher |
| America Pageant." Now THAT is competence in | | | | and higher levels. Companies that would be |
| handling people.On a more macro level, it is | | | | examples of this are Disney World Theme |
| important that the systems and procedures of | | | | Parks, Costco, and Enterprise rental car (see |
| a company are competently designed to provide | | | | my article on comparing and contrasting |
| the exceptional service. Netflix is an | | | | recent experiences with Enterprise and |
| example of an incredibly competent system for | | | | Sears)If customer service levels are not at |
| renting DVDs. You do not have to leave your | | | | the desired goals, the A.C.E.S. analysis |
| house. They come in the mail they are | | | | provides a rapid way to zero in on the |
| returned in the mail. If there is any | | | | problem. You can ask yourself, "Where am I |
| problem, you simply contact Netflix on-line | | | | on this chart most of the time?" Do I need to |
| and it is taken care of (at their expense). | | | | update my competence in something? Have i |
| The system is designed so that the incentive | | | | gotten so focused on making the sale to make |
| to get the most for your money actually | | | | money that I am no longer focusing on the |
| supports the efficient returning of the | | | | customer relationship? Do I feel |
| DVDs.The final component of A.C.E.S. is | | | | dis-empowered to provide great service. The |
| Empowerment. Generally this is a structural | | | | manager or leader can ask, "Where is my sales |
| issue within the company. Employees must be | | | | force most of the time?" What has changed in |
| empowered in terms of proper training as well | | | | the ACES model that accounts for the drop in |
| as actual power to solve problems. The main | | | | customer service in the XYZ department? Is |
| question to answer here is, in what ways are | | | | there a change in the market place so that |
| employees able to resolve problems on the | | | | people are no longer competent? Is there a |
| spot so that the customer feels like his or | | | | new manager that is dis-empowering people? |
| her needs come first (Dr Bob's 2nd law of | | | | Did we have a huge turnover of people so that |
| exceptional customer service). Any employee | | | | now 34% of the department has not had the |
| at the Ritz Carlton is empowered to spend up | | | | company training? Do we talk about an |
| to $2500 to solve a guest's problems. The | | | | attitude of taking excellent care of our |
| result is that a guest feels like he or she | | | | customers, but fail to take excellent care of |
| is a queen.As shown in the diagram on the | | | | our employees so the corporate attitude of |
| right, there three possible situations where | | | | excellence of customer service is not |
| a person or company has only one quality. | | | | manifested in its employment practices? |
| There are three possible intersections of two | | | | Customer Service is not rocket science. But, |
| qualities, and one point where all three | | | | it is not necessarily easy to execute at high |
| qualities intersect. The single quality | | | | levels. It takes courage and honesty to look |
| points are self-explanatory. So, I will not | | | | at where you are. And, once you know where |
| describe them here. At intersection 1 we have | | | | the problem is you are halfway to a |
| a good attitude plus competence, but not | | | | solution.Dr Robert Schwarz is a consultant |
| empowerment. Here an employee knows how to | | | | coach and speaker. He is passionate about |
| do something and has a great attitude, but | | | | improving the performance of individuals and |
| somehow is not empowered to do it. This | | | | companies. His mission is to sponsor and |
| situation can exist when there is a poor | | | | promote the creative potential and generative |
| manager in charge of competent, motivated | | | | powers of individuals and organizations to |
| people. It is often depicted in movies of | | | | maximize sustainable performance and |
| the hero who wants to do it, can do it, but | | | | well-being. CEOs, managers, business owners |
| is prevented from doing it by the system. In | | | | and line workers who are inspired perform |
| real life, this is the situation we have all | | | | better. Organizations and individuals that |
| faced when a service person says, "You are | | | | perform up to their true potential in |
| completely right, this is not fair, but the | | | | providing value and service to others are |
| computer system will not let me fix your | | | | more fulfilled and more profitable.With 24 |
| problem for you." If it is a chronic | | | | years of experience as a businessman, |
| problem, people in position 1 generally | | | | psychologist, consultant and coach working |
| become demoralized. Another scenario is | | | | with thousands of people, Bob brings a wealth |
| more personal. An employee may not be | | | | of experience in improving human performance. |
| assertive (self-empowered) enough or willing | | | | His trainings are full of energy, humor and |
| to take an appropriate risk, even if he or | | | | thought provoking content for immediate use |
| she really does have the competence and | | | | and long-term sustainable growth. He presents |
| authority to do so.Position 2 is a situation | | | | trainings internationally on topics |
| where an employee has a great attitude and | | | | including, leadership, creativity and gender |
| the system actually does empower him or her, | | | | communication differences, customer service, |
| but the employee is not sufficiently | | | | advanced approaches to stress management and |
| competent. My recent tech support call to | | | | work life balance to government agencies, |
| Dell is a good example. The tech had a | | | | businesses, and associations. |
| wonderfully pleasant attitude and was | | | | |