The concept of proactive service, or anticipating customers’ needs before they ask for assistance, has been around for decades. Sometimes it is as simple as letting members at the gym know that there is no hot water BEFORE they take a cold shower, or imagining what the frequently asked questions in your particular business will be and having succinct and helpful responses pre-printed. By taking into consideration the impact of a situation on others, the experience of unpleasant circumstances can be immensely enhanced.
I was a witness and a recipient to a marvelous and clever proactive service moment on a recent airplane trip. A woman came up and down the aisles passing out small pre-made bags filled with candy. Each was wrapped with a ribbon and a little note that said, “Thank you for your understanding.” As she passed out the bags she said, “This is a way for me to apologize just in case my baby cries!” I had never seen anything like that before and loved it. It made me smile, feel empathetic and stimulated some thinking about the power of heading off potential problems through a little creativity and thoughtfulness. I don’t think her intention was to teach a customer service lesson, but indeed she did and in spades.
As a result of this gracious experience, I looked up the definition for the word proactive.
The singular act of passing out the candy bags was the definition of proactive in action. In service situations, being proactive or heading off a potential problem can pay off in a variety of ways. Sometimes, it can even make the problem disappear.
Funny enough, the baby never cried the whole 5-hour flight.