Mary Portas Golden Rules for Retailers - Smile Speak Serve

Mary Portas is on a mission to transform the appalling service culture of high fashion retailers in the UK.

She has a brilliant programme (on CH4), excellent experience and a no nonsense approach.

It covers loads of themes that are very close to my heart:

• Retailers must not drive short term profitability by cutting back on service. [Amazon]
• Leadership, culture and training are key to motivating employees. [De Vivre]
• Great customer service will feed stand-out and create a sustainable competitive advantage. [John Lewis]
• Happy customers will feel good and shop again. [Zappos]

If you are a retailer then watch it as there is plenty of actionable lessons. I strongly recommend that you watch it.

In my view, as I have said before, service is the new brand.

Bad service and grumpy britons put UK jobs at risk

This headline in the UK newspapers today is shocking.

I’m not surprised but I really hope that UK hoteliers sort themselves out.

The concern weak hoteliers must have is the deeper problems their business may have as a result of the current recession.

However, the opportunity [and being positive is vital] provided by the weak sterling means that all hotels should have a good year thanks to more tourist (enjoying cheap deals) and more Brits (not travelling overseas).

If I were in the hotel businesses I would be focusing on Delivery and Delight parts of the PDD framework.

Delivery will require some investment in a lick of paint and some new fluffy towels.

Delight will require a more customer friendly approach that genuinely delivers winning brand experiences to consumers.

It is simple. Delight consumers and they should return. They may even tell their friends about you.

To get teams to deliver winning brand experiences to the consumer should not require heavy investment.

What it requires is strong leadership and good Brand Experience Management.