Our excited client support team was lucky enough to visit Rockliffe Hall this week for a tour and masterclass in customer service from the North’s only Five Star resort. Not only was this an excellent opportunity to get some hints and tips from an organisation operating at the cutting edge of customer service, but it was also a lovely way to celebrate a really successful year in the back office.
We received a really warm welcome from Sarah Roberts (Senior Events Coordinator) and Shaun Corrigan, Bar & Restaurant Manager on what must have been a busy day – our visit coincided with the grand opening of the new outdoor spa at Rockliffe. Having never been there before it was fascinating to take a tour of the resort including rooms, a peek at two of the beautiful suites, a look at the restaurants and a visit to the spa. We then had the chance to sit down with Shaun and hear his perspective on customer service and the expectations he has for his team.
Shaun had a lot to say, but some of the things which really stood out to us were;
- Always strive to be the very best you can. Mistakes will be made, but the important thing is how you react to them – it is important to learn and change, rather than beat yourself up about it.
- The devil is in the detail. Seeing how smartly turned out the staff were at Rockliffe really helped to bring this home to us. From the tips of their toes to the tops of their heads, every member of staff made sure their presentation was top notch – this really helped build an impression of quality for us.
- Sometimes good customer service can be like a “performance” – in a way you are an actor each day, creating an experience for customers.
- Watch your phone manner. We all spend lots of time on the phone both at home and at work, and that means it is easy to get very relaxed about the way you communicate. We get to know some of our clients really well, but it was a good reminder to make sure that we are still really professional.
- The appearance and ambience of the building makes such a difference. We really noticed the attention to detail at Rockliffe Hall – the place even smelled good!
- After a great discussion we were thrilled to hear that we would be treated to a beautiful afternoon tea as a team in the Sycamore room. I think it would be fair to say that we were moving pretty slowly when we got back to the office.
It’s a big thanks to Karl at Active for taking us over to Rockliffe Hall, and thanks to both Shaun and Sarah for their time and attention. Shall we see you again next year?
