Last week I had the pleasure of spending three days at Westminster Kingsway College in the company of eight of my peers learning to deliver WorldHost* Training. This is a one-day course for customer service professionals that will change customer service standards for the better in the U.K. over the next few years.
In my opinion, this training isn’t just about the 2012 Olympics, it is an opportunity for businesses to invest in their staff and drive their customer service standards up across the board. Later this week I will hear whether my accreditation to deliver this training has been successful, then I will write more.
In the meantime, consider this. I spent three days with a great trainer, together with senior people from several large U.K. and international businesses, talking about customer service and practising delivery of the WorldHost* sessions. I was on a real high when I left Westminster Kingsway College and decided to go for a trip down memory lane.
Many years ago, 36 years to be precise, I worked in a pub in Westminster, in a little back street off the beaten track. It’s still there, and I popped in for a drink on Friday afternoon. There was one quite cheerful member of staff on duty, doing his best to serve the locals and tourists who make up the clientele. Another member of staff was on a break. I stayed for a second pint, as I like Fuller’s London Pride, and the manager came downstairs. He said nothing to either of the staff, looked thoroughly miserable, made no attempt to clear the pile of plates and glasses that had accumulated, and after checking some figures on the till, made his way back upstairs without so much as a glance at anyone.
Comments anyone?
*WorldHost is a registered trade mark of the British Columbian Provincial Government.