Customer service should be a priority for every staff member

A few nights ago, I was talking to a friend who works in the hospitality industry about the importance of customer service and its role in the ongoing success across so many market segments from hotels to retail business. It’s a topic we’ve talked about before but he threw a new angle into the equation and mentioned how the best laid plans can be derailed or reinforced by the attitude of the most unlikely and lowly staff member.

Hotels and resorts are in a constant and highly competitive fight to attract corporate meetings to their properties. Even a medium-sized business meeting translates into dozens of room nights and a healthy injection of cash into the food and beverage revenue stream. Of course the larger ones are more lucrative and senior management work hard to convince meeting planners that theirs is the right venue to host their event.

My friend explained to me that his property – an upscale resort in a beautiful waterfront setting – has just landed a huge shoulder-season booking that was being chased by a handful of competitors. “Securing this one has made up for some of the bad news we’ve had during the past few months complements of the economy,” he confided.

Of course, I’m pleased for him and his sales team but the reason I’m sharing the news with you is what clinched the deal.

Now you could be forgiven for thinking the item that tipped the balance in my friends favor was a discount or a sweetener like upgraded rooms or a special event thrown in at low-cost. Nope. No special deals at all. In fact my friend said that his resort’s proposal was probably not the lowest bid… so what was it that did the trick?

It turns out that the meeting planner snuck back into the resort after her meetings with the executive team to check things out from the customer’s point of view. My buddy says that’s not an unusual tactic… a sort of secret shopper routine. Apparently the meeting planner took a little walking tour on her own and finally settled unnoticed in one of the resort’s three restaurants to have supper.

The email she wrote to my friend the following day confirmed the meeting and contained a short explanation why she’s opted to go with his resort.

She mentioned the great location, the understated luxury and several of the pillars of his property’s brand… what he refers to as all the usual stuff… but she wrote she was most impressed with the level of service she received during her clandestine supper. She mentioned the manners of her server, her attitude and her attention to detail. And she mentioned the professional way ALL the wait staff seemed to deal with diners seated at surrounding tables. She wrote in bold letters that it made her feel welcome and comfortable… “as though I’ve been a regular special customer in your restaurant for many years,” was how she phrased it.

She went on the say that if the close to 200 delegates expected to attend the meeting she was arranging got the same level of service, she’d look like a hero.

Of course my buddy was very pleased, but not too surprised since the hotel management company he is part of is one of the best-known in the world and pays particular attention to training its associates. But when he shared the news with the restaurant manager, he was a little surprised to find out that the server who had managed to be a successful ambassador for the hotel and who had helped secure a few hundred thousand dollars worth of business, was a newbie! The night in question was her first day on the job!

The lesson that I took from this is a simple one, but one worth paying special attention to: Every member of our staff must buy completely into the store policy when it comes to dealing with customers.  And regardless of their job description, every member of staff should treat anyone who comes into your store or who walks onto your boat or steps into your classrooms, with respect. If fact it’s safest to assume that your next customer has the potential to spend thousands with you over the next few years… all you have to do is make them feel special.

Carol Christini, M.A., President, Insurance Management Services, Inc.

Each year when you purchase insurance, coverage and service is not the only issue to consider.  Differences in policy wordings may impact you and your dive business.  In addition, it is important that you know your training agency will accept the insurance that you purchase.

Reviewing the history of insurance in diving reveals that in the early 70’s the legal climate began to change in the United States.  Prior to that time no insurance was available or required. In response to the liability changes, the training agencies began to offer insurance to their members because insurance was not available from the agent around the corner. Because coverage was not available initially the coverage was based upon the specific training agencies’ standards. Practically 40 years later, coverage for those working in the diving industry remains a unique and specialized coverage that is available only from limited sources.  However, now coverage is based upon the respective training agencies’ standards, national standards (RSTC) and international standards (WRSTC and/or ISO).

Here are a few are ways you can determine for yourself what is the best coverage for you.  Understanding will help you be an informed insurance consumer.

There are five major sections to any insurance policy wording.

1)    Agreement, outlines the intent of the coverage and who is insured

2)    Exclusions, advises what is not covered

3)    Policy Form, explains if the policy is a claims made or an occurrence form

4)    Warranties, states agreed expectations and are a requirement of coverage

5)    Conditions, details requirements placed on the insured

The brochure you receive with your insurance application or posted on the website of your insurance representative or training agency should spell out this information.  It will also provide other information such as: the insured (the association), the insured certificate holder (you the diving professional or dive business), additional insureds, and which insurance carrier, underwriter or company is providing the coverage. It should address the policy period and total cost, as well as conditions placed upon you if you are involved in an incident or accident. Also it should explain any restrictions or limitations on additional insureds. If the insurance brochure does not outline all of this information— buyer beware!

Exclusions

No policy covers everything. Insurance policies are written to cover only very specific situations. Every policy, even your homeowners and auto insurance policy, contains exclusions in coverage. Therefore, you have to read the exclusions, which describe those situations not covered under your professional liability policy. Professional liability policies may exclude situations considered outside the scope of your “professional trade” such as employment related issues, equipment product liability, or boat operations. Business liability policies may exclude professional liability.  Watch carefully for items excluded which are a specific part of your activities. Typically items excluded may be available under another type of policy.

Warranties

Warranties are specific to the type of “industry” the policy pertains to and will spell out standards within the industry the insured is expected to adhere to. Many of the warranties in scuba professional liability policies address standards or expectations within the scope of supervision of, orientation to and instruction in scuba diving activities. For example: warranties will address the need for use of waivers, supervision of entry-level divers during training and industry expectations for medical screening. Seasoned professionals within the diving industry understand these warranties as part the normal    “standard operating procedures.”

If you are multi-certified (teaching for more than one training agency), I caution you about limitations specific to one agency’s training standards. This could restrict or eliminate coverage under the insurance when you are adhering to the “another training agency’s standard while teaching another agencies course.” The warranties are professional expectations and as a warranty, you agree to abide by them. Intentional violations of these warranties can void your coverage. The fewer the warranties — the less likelihood you could do something to void your coverage.

Conditions

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Additional Insured Requirements and Special Wording for Additional Insured’s

Many training agencies, retail businesses, pools, charter boat operators and bodies of water require to be listed on your professional liability policy as an additional insured. Why? Because your activities as a diving professional can bring liability exposure to their business entity that is not specifically covered elsewhere. Additional insureds should be given broad protection under the policy arising from the action of the insured (professional or business) that leads to the additional insured being named in a legal action.  Additional insureds should have coverage that protects them for their own acts, errors or omissions if they cause the problem.

How can you know for yourself?

Read carefully the brochure especially the exclusions and warranties, as well as coverage for additional insureds. When you purchase insurance this year make sure before you buy that it will adequately protect you, your training agency. Don’t assume that anything you buy will adequately protect you and will be accepted by your training agency as meeting their requirements for liability insurance. Ask your training agency prior to purchasing insurance if the coverage you intend to buy will meet their requirements. They will tell you if they have been provided a copy of the policy wording for review and if it is acceptable. If you represent several training agencies, check to see which policy will be the broadest protection for you and the training agencies. Most importantly, is the coverage acceptable to the training agency that you certify the most students.

Carol Christini has offering insurance and risk management guidance to the diving industry for 25 years. She is a diver and understands both insurance and diving. She or other IMS staff can be reached for further questions regarding insurance at 800-467-7282.

Training Standard questions should be addressed directly to your training agency.

Leadership/Instructor Crossover Orientation

“It had to come,” says Sean Harrison, Vice President of Training and Member Services for SDI the undisputed leader in online training for the dive industry with more than 65,000 online courses completed.

Harrison, talking to a gathering of training professionals was describing the latest chapter in the company’s impressive run at developing a full curriculum of diver training courses through its eLearning Program (www.sdi-onlinetraining.com/professional): Professional Online Crossovers.

“We have enjoyed an unprecedented demand from dive instructors wanting to join our SDI team,” he said. “They teach for other sport agencies, and either want to add SDI programs to bolster their career, or, more and more, want to switch to SDI fully because they find the benefits offered by our programs better suit them and their business goals.”

Harrison explained that the new online program, Leadership/Instructor Crossover Orientation, has been in full operation since the late fall and was developed by the same in-house group who have put SDI’s open water, nitrox, wreck, deep, and navigation programs available via internet access. “The real benefit of having our very own programmers and beta-testing people is that they know diving, they know the industry and in developing these programs is that they work right off the bat with no delays and no downtime. But the advantages of offering this orientation course online are actually much greater than with any online course we’ve developed in the past,” he said.

“Crossover candidates can go online when it suits them, and work through what is an extremely comprehensive and detailed grounding on everything they need to prepare them for their final meeting with an SDI or TDI instructor Trainer prior to being accepted and inducted as members.”

The online Leadership/Instructor Crossover Orientation is updated as standards and course outlines change and is available as a resource for any crossover SDI leadership at any time… “So it’s an excellent way to keep current and refresh one’s knowledge.”

Harrison said that many SDI facilities have found the online orientation a boon when they hire new staff. “These professionals can devote quality time to their orientation in their own time well before starting their new assignment, and be ready to teach SDI programs starting on day one of employment.”

There are no stand alone fees for this online course but the program is a required and integral part of the crossover process and is included in the $399 crossover price.