Brand SERVICE To Brand SERWISH

 BY JAGDEEP KAPOOR

Consumers expect great service. This is because the standards have gone up. Their expectations have soared. Their aspirations are sky high. So, today in India, just giving good service is not enough, you have to meet the consumer's wish, serve the consumer well, this is what I call 'SERWISH'.

Gone are the days of rationing and manufacturers calling the shots to give small lots to consumers leaving behind a deep hunger. Now the marketeers say "Dear consumer, your wish is my command, I will give you not only good service but good SERWISH, I will serve you as peryour wish."

This entire change and transition has come about in the last few years because the consumers now have a choice, ~nd brands want to be more competitive. Marketeers have also realised that they exist only if some consumer buys their product or service in a regular fashion. Therefore it is important to them to serve the consumer well.

My mother has taught me, that you must "first deserve and then desire". I would add on to her teachings and supplement it by saying that you must "first serve and then deserve". Marketeers must first serve the consumer and then deserve sales growth, market share and profit.

If a marketeer truly wants to give good SERWISH, he needs to start by understanding the consumer's needs and wishes. It is important to understand the wish list of the consumer, so that the brand can appropriately address that desire and wish.

Whether it be an airline giving good SERWISB by offering a choice of veg and non-veg meals or a choice of newspapers and magazines or even a choice of a window or an aisle seat, it is a good way to start serving the consumer through good Brand SERWISH. The key is to ask the consumer what is that he or she wishes and then take it forward in fulfilling that wish in the best possible manner to improve the quality of life and please the consumer.

It is perfectly understandable, that every wish may not be possible to be fulfilled or not even practical to be fulfilled. But there is one wish of the consumer which can definitely be fulfilled in 100 percent of times'. 'That wish is the wish to be asked” what do you wish? ". Whether in the beginning or at the end, every human being has the right to wish for something that he or sh~. desires. The wish may be appropriate or inappropriate, possible or impossible, right or wrong, from each one's perspective, that is the second part. But the first part is being able to wish and being asked by the brand marketeer ''what do you wish ?", is a good starting point for good SERWISH.

Even if the wish can't be fulfilled, it must be explained to the consumer in a patient and pleasant manner, because it is important for the consumer to realise why his wish is not being granted.

But the good news is that, in most cases the wishes of the consumers can be fulfilled by the marketeer, if he cares to ask "What do you wish ?". This initial question, unfortunately, is not being asked by many marketeers, thereby reducing customer service to be after sales service. In my opinion, customer service should not only be after sales service, but it should be before the sale, during the sale and after the sale. Then truly they may be providing good SERWISH.

Whether it be a product, as simple as a chocolate or a soft drink or a technologically advanced laptop or a plasma TV or a bus service or a cinema service, each and every product or service, must understand what is it that the consumer wishes. Then the . brand marketeer must'make all possible efforts to meet the consumers wish.

There are some caution areas here, obviously the wish should be legally sound and should not hurt any other human being, physically or mentally. Also, the wish would be relevant to the promise made by the product or service category of the brand. It is understandable that all wishes may not be possible to be fulfilled, however all legitimate, relevant and mutually beneficial, non ¬harmful wishes should also be tried and attempted to be fulfilled.

Whether you are running your tuition class or a tiffin service, whether you are carting people across the Mandovi or welcoming guests at Taj Exotica, it is important to try and move one step forward from good service to good SERWISH. Happy SERWISHING!

Copyright © 2005, All rights reserved with Jagdeep Kapoor – Managing Director, Samsika Marketing Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
No part of this document may be modified, reproduced, stored, deleted or introduced in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (Electronic, Mechanical, Photocopying, Recording or Otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of the document.
The author is Jagdeep Kapoor, Brand Guru and Managing Director of the successful Samsika Marketing Consultancy.
Tel: (022) 28477700/7701 (022) 28470214/15 Fax:022 28477699
E-mail : jkapoor@samsika.com