To a certain extent, most people are in some form of customer service. That could be core to your work in the public sector, in hospitality or as a farmer. It can be through involvement in a voluntary role or, as a parent, you are constantly in the glare of the most discerning consumer – children.

Recently my husband Richie and I visited a number of Irish tourist attractions and the importance of customer satisfaction and the advertisement of that satisfaction was evident.

“If you enjoyed the trip, you might give us a mention on TripAdvisor, if not, you might keep shtum please,” one tour guide cordially joked. Another, in the Irish Whiskey Museum, mentioned that if he got a positive review, it would help his chances of securing a place on an illustrious graduate programme (well done Stephen, you really were very good).

I wondered how concerned the staff were that we would be aggrieved and/or would speak negatively of the experience due to this small error which really didn’t inconvenience us at all

Last weekend, we went to the Titanic Experience in Cobh. I booked the tour online for the latest time available. Later that evening I got a nice email explaining that an error in the system allowed me to book a time within 30 minutes of closing which would not give us enough time to enjoy the full experience, and requested we join a tour at any earlier time of our choosing. This was no problem. On leaving the museum, we were given a little gift as thanks for changing the time. I wondered how concerned the staff were that we would be aggrieved and/or would speak negatively of the experience due to this small error which really didn’t inconvenience us at all.

Later we were looking for somewhere to eat. Not being that familiar with Cork, we drove around and stumbled on what looked like a child-friendly establishment in Glanmire. The two were dying for the toilet so I made a beeline for the ladies and left Richie to get us a table. When I returned he was still standing there, having been passed three times by a staff member. I tried to attract someone’s attention myself – was ignored – with the immediate result being “we are leaving”.

I often wonder what the tendency is to post positive versus negative comments. Are people more likely to slate something that they are dissatisfied with over giving praise, and within this, are our expectations too high?

Customer service does matter. Fáilte Ireland carried out research in 2016 that showed 54% of visitors to tourist attractions would post about it on social media. I often wonder what the tendency is to post positive versus negative comments. Are people more likely to slate something that they are dissatisfied with over giving praise, and within this, are our expectations too high?

I often find myself in conversations about the perceived merits or inadequacies of some of the different agri-organisations I serve a voluntary role within. I often agree with the concerns that are levelled, in that the requirement for customer service here is no different. If you are paying a membership to an organisation, you are entitled to a service. But the scope and totality of that service also needs to be looked at in terms of what is genuinely possible and what is being delivered. Nobody is served in the long term if the baby is thrown out with the bath water. I was reminded of the famous words from poet John Lydgate, later adapted by President Lincoln: “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”

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