It really doesn’t matter if a client’s request is large or small, if it’s important to them, it should be important to us, right? That’s a small “give” in exchange for the loyalty and support we get at Glimpses Media from our clients.
Since a lot of people know how to reach me, I’m sometimes the recipient of those requests, and occasionally that’s a learning experience. What are we not doing that we could do better?
Sometimes there’s a request that we might say is less than reasonable, but that can also be a learning experience.
The studios of our radio stations are always a hive of activity, and sometimes visitors drop by my office on their way out, which I’m always happy about.
The discussion I had with Gerry Cruz of Community First on customer service was interesting and you can read how Community First is reinventing that further into the paper.
I can relate. Of all the businesses that stand behind my husband and me in Guam and elsewhere, the financial institutions are the most important, because they involve money and transactions.
It’s equally important to work with financial institutions that not only meet your needs but have the approach to customer service that you are looking for — whether that’s hands off, hands on, or a combination of the two.
If you are a long-term customer of an institution in the islands, chances are you know who to call if you need to, or which branch will best meet your in-person needs.
I expect some of you have also had a credit card hacked, as we did. How the financial institution in question handled that was a learning experience for me, and by the end of it, for the institution too. (We’ll just leave it at that.)
I am very happy with my bank in London. When we’re in the U.K. and active, it sends statements. Otherwise, its system decides we don’t need to be bothered. I can call the bank from anywhere and in seconds with a voice password check the balance, or a transaction. My voice password can also get me through to a live person.
Occasionally the bank will message me with information it thinks customers need to know. This is not PR, it’s factual.
At the branch, there’s a row of ATMs, and a concierge system of typically two people doing triage with laptops at the ready. The branch is also open on Saturdays.
I can make an appointment ahead of visiting, but there is seating and if it’s a small ask, the staff can suggest I wait. The branch has private areas for discussion on whatever it is that you need.
Occasionally the branch manager will take care of whatever it is himself. That’s his call. Maybe it’s because we’re the people from Guam, or maybe that manager is a believer in face-to-face interaction, and direct client discussions on meeting needs.
The concierge system is available at financial institutions in Guam. And there are businesses in the islands where you’ll also see the owner, the manager or the management team active and about. It’s not only personable, but a way of saying thank you for visiting us or thank you for your business. mbj
— Maureen N. Maratita is the publisher at Glimpses Media. Glimpses Media includes the Marianas Business Journal, Guam Business Magazine, The Guam Guide, Wave 105.1 FM, Power98 and Route99.
