ihis week INOVEMDE! 20, |l77U. FAQe Nix FUTURE WATCH Survival in a service-dominated society: e are now living in a service- dominated society. That does not mean we get good service. In fact, service in Canada stinks. For years I have been complaining that our hospitality industry, hotels, restaurants and air- lines are generally run for the benefit of management and staff, and not for cus- tomers. To customers, the receptionist and waiter are more important than the ry general manager. Others are noticing that we are not competing successfully enough in service industries to avoid being taken over by com- panies similar to those that have taken over the TV, VCR, automobile, microchip and fax businesses. Recent reports by consumer reporter Marlynne Gayle and travel columnist Ray Chatelin in The Vancouver Province ex- posed the contrasts in consumer services between similar tripsin British Columbia and taking up a sizable portion of orders or problems within 24 BY, Si : Fabtich- Teas passenger's overhead storage hours. Don't believe otherwise. OW cabo We are all to blame. space. They canbuyplaneslike 0-BE QUICK YOURSELF If 650 View St. ~ Canadians are simply too tolerant. We order a meal and don’t get what we order. What do we do? We grumble under our breath, but eat the stuff anyhow. We buy a suit and the buttons fall offduring the first dry-clean- ing. It’s too much trouble to com- without a bed Travelodge, Calgary). The valet parks my car. The next day I wait 30 minutes while he tries to find it (Banff Springs Hotel, Banff). The list is endless. Airlines keep hassling travelers about carrying too much luggage aboard when they know full well that to do other- wise is to waste an additional 30 (Airport Di-lOnierrow By FRANK OGDEN minutes retrieving luggage after the flight. Why can’t air- lines provide more cabin storage space? They can if they want. First, they can store their pil- lows, blankets and crew purses somewhere else instead of the Boeing 747-400 series, designed with twice the conven- tional in-cabin storage space. North American airlines will be hit with foreign competition sooner than they expect. Right now, foreign airlines can’t fly into a Canadian city and pick up starting to shake in their hangers. Cathay Pacific service would sweep them away. Canadian companies general- ly spend less on staff training than most industrialized countries. That may have been passable in the past when manufacturing held sway, but indifferent customer service leads to the same future and economic equivalent of having AIDS. Paul Hawken, in his book Growing a Business (Simon & Shuster), says this is the way to become a good customer: 1.COMPLAIN. If you don’t, who will? It takes only a minute, you will feel better, and the com- pany will benefit. 2.PRAISE. This is just as im- portant as criticism. It spurs the business to reward creative and constructive work. 3.BE ARTICULATE. You know what you want; the com- pany may not. Be as specific as you can about what you want and spell it out, simply and clearly. 4. DEMAND QUICK SER- VICE. There is no excuse for slow service today. Technology allows any company to process something is wrong, pounce. Don’t wait four months. After a delay, the company will have a harder time believing you. 6.BE KIND. When you reach the company, assume that the voice on the other end is a human being like yourself. Let him or her have the pleasure of helping you. If that doesn’t work _7.BE PERSISTENT If neces- sary, go upstairs. Then go higher. In many companies, the top has no idea what mayhem transpires down below. I would even suggest you clip out Hawken’s suggestions and put them in your wallet or purse. When you have trouble (you will), let managers know you are now one of the more militant shoppers and want action. You might even suggest they and their staff read Hawken’s book! ‘FABRICS ON SALE IMPORTED ¢ European Woollens ¢ Quilted Cottons ¢ Wool Shawls Doug Vickerd, D.T.C.M. Acupuncture Therapy Stress Reduction Pain Control #202-1005 Langley St. 384-4350 Prices are Special all year round BUT... NEXT WEEK - plain so we pay another tailor to passengers and then fly to sew them back on, ifhe or she another Canadian city: In other can find a match. words they can’t compete on > domestic flights within Canada, , We buy an expensive pair of except fora very few minor ex- & A WN ; glasses and the paint peels off ceptions. That will shortly end. the frames within the month Cabotage is coming. Cabotage ee | (The Bay, Vancouver). We check allows carriers of two or more dt i AN % | into a hotel andthe roomhasn’t agreeing countries to fly to a Island Eatery : been made up; the replacement foreign country, pick up pas- eiasees ROCK Be 1817 DOUGLAS | room has mud splashed all over sengers.and then continue on to 380-6623 aS __ 383-2717 | ; the shower. Think that’s bad? other cities in that country. No 1316 Broad St ; oe The guy behind me got aroom wonder Canadian carriers are : : > | | fe =e = Our Benefits Improve with. With Prime 55, coming of age is in your best interest QO. Prime 55 chequing/savings account 1s now the most compre- hensive benefits package account we've ever offered! 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