Commitment is one of those words that can mean different things to different people. For some, it is about sticking with something when it gets difficult. For others, it is about doing what you said you would do, even when nobody is watching. I think it is probably a bit of both, as well as never giving up and seeing things through to the end. The word commitment in the wordle above is surrounded by words like dedication, responsibility, loyalty, respect, teamwork, communicat

I think we underestimate how much it means to someone when you genuinely give them your attention. Not just being there while they are talking. Actually listening. It sounds simple, but it is surprisingly easy to get wrong. We are all busy. There are emails coming in, messages waiting to be answered, meetings to get to and a long list of things that need doing. Even when we are talking to someone, part of our attention can be somewhere else and most people can tell. You can s

I led a team morning recently and I have been thinking about a few things that came out of that: feeling valued, positivity, staying in your lane, doing whats in your circle of control, supporting others - staff and customers. One thing has stuck with me - feeling valued. I’ve always believed that how you treat people says a lot about you, both as a person and as a business. It really isn’t rocket science. Treat people with respect, be fair, kind and have a bit of understandi

There is a simple image that captures one of the biggest problems with education: we often expect every student to succeed in exactly the same way. The cartoon shows a teacher asking a group of very different animals—an elephant, a monkey, a penguin, a fish, and others—to complete the same task: climb a tree. The message is powerful. If every animal is judged by its ability to climb a tree, the monkey may appear brilliant, while the fish may seem like a failure. But the fish

After a week of delivering presentations to new parents in this third full week of term, I have been thinking about customer relationships and customer retention in particular which is crucial to ensuring an amazing customer journey. In education, success is often measured by grades, attendance, enrolment numbers, and academic outcomes. But there is another factor that plays an increasingly important role in the long-term success of schools and colleges and in any business or

As the new academic year has started and educational institutions come alive again with new energy, new faces and thousands of new students begin a completely new chapter of their lives whether new year, new school, college life or uni life, it makes sense to write something with an educational theme. For many of those students starting a new place, their first few weeks can be exciting, but they can also be overwhelming. Its all new: people, systems, surroundings, expectatio

Excellent Customer Experience relies on a smooth and easy purchase experience for the customer. At the start of the new academic year, I was reminded of this as I did customer service training to hair and beauty learners followed by a recruitment meeting with staff which was full of solutions! Loved it. It reminded me that there is a solution to everything - apart from tax and death - and we just need to find it. So here are my top tips to solutions as we support our new lea

Once upon a time, well - lately - I’ve been thinking about storytelling. Not in a “storytelling is the future of marketing” sort of way. More in a why do I remember that advert from 15 years ago, but can’t remember what I walked into the kitchen for five minutes ago? sort of way. The latter happens a lot lately! There’s something about a good story isn't there and some members of my team and I had a marketing morning looking at our favourite TV adverts recently and why we rem

As I write this a few days after GCSE results and the start of enrolment, I was reminded of this phrase which when I saw it first, I instantly loved it. I wondered at the time whether it was true, but then we are always taught to begin with the end in mind. The end is about - let's be honest - profit, growth and sustainability in business. This only comes with growing customers and they only come because they are happy with your product or service and then return, or because

How many people do you know that say '...it's the small things that matter most in life?' How important is it to receive a smile or acknowledgement when you walk into a store and have a hello, please, thank you and goodbye during the sales process. How about if something goes wrong and the customer needs to be there for a while while you sort it out.... what about offering them a cup of tea? Every interaction counts with a customer and that is both the small and the big thing

... is all it takes to be put off a business. This features higher than word of mouth, competition and dissatisfaction with the product. Not only that but 69% of people leave a business due to poor customer service with product dissatisfaction at 13% and better prices elsewhere at 9%. We need to look after customers and I have been one of those people who have left a business in the last month for the reason above. I am a stickler for excellent customer service when spending

Striking the Right Balance Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Interaction During my recent holiday a few interactions made me consider the importance of human interaction alongside the consistency of a digital / AI experience. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way organisations - including accommodation providers and restaurants - engage with their customers. From chatbots providing instant responses to predictive systems anticipating customer needs, to

Kindness is often mistaken for softness, especially in the business world. In a world where we celebrate speed, competition, ambition, and being the loudest voice in the room, kindness can seem almost invisible. It doesn't trend as often as outrage. It rarely makes headlines. It doesn't demand attention. Yet, despite being overlooked, kindness remains one of the most powerful and important qualities a person can possess. I observed an incredible moment of incredible customer

In today's lightening fast digital world, customers have more choices than ever before. Products can be copied, prices can be matched, and features can quickly become standard. What truly sets a business apart is the quality of its customer service. At the heart of exceptional customer service lies one simple principle: it should be a conversation, not a transmission - as it should in life! Transmission is one-way communication. A company provides information, instructions, o

Recently, I was lucky enough to partake in mock interviews during work where we interview Year 10 students in a school to give them interview practise. I was asked to spend sometime talking about my career at the start but I know that my career journey was a long time ago and spans 30 years of Higher Education and ten jobs. So I decided to focus on the attributes that got me to where I am today. There are two I surmised to each mock interview candidate. 1 - Work hard and go t

In today's world, we celebrate winners and losers, rankings and achievements, results are pass or fail, competition has become deeply ingrained in how we define success. From schools and universities to workplaces and businesses, we are frequently encouraged to perform in order to get ahead and that usually means we are pitted against each other to do so. Whilst healthy competition can inspire growth and ambition, an overemphasis on it can create barriers, limit innovation an

As we begin the summer holidays in education, I thought I would use my blog to divert a little from customer service and consider other areas weekly. I have been reflecting on a few questions recently focusing on workplace development. I have always been a get my head down person, work hard and that will drive you to success, but the advent of social media is all about visibility. How do we balance doing a good job and being authentic in our visibility especially on Linked In

In today's competitive business landscape, customer experience has become a key differentiator. Whilst organisations invest heavily in product quality, technology and marketing, one often-overlooked factor can significantly influence customer perception: language. The words employees use when interacting with customers can either build trust and loyalty or create frustration and dissatisfaction. Negative language, in particular, can have a lasting impact on customer relations

In today's fast-paced digital world, customers expect prompt responses, swift resolutions, and seamless experiences. Businesses that master the art of urgency in customer service gain a significant competitive advantage. However, urgency is not simply about responding more quickly—it is about making customers (internal and external) feel valued, understood, and prioritised throughout their journey. Urgency in customer service refers to the ability to recognise customer needs

Think. Do. Be. Positive! I am a big believer in being positive. I think, do and be positive as much as possible. I am a glass half full person and get excited and energised over the littlest of things! Do you know that you can do this in sales too? People love it! They love positive, passionate and pro-active people. All the time in fact. You can turn even the grumpiest person around with all of that! You never have to use the word no...... don't believe me - well here goes..