1. The Service Bank Concept






Put simply, it is an analogy of how a service interaction makes you – the guest, client or customer – feel. Just like your bank account, the feelings experienced can be negative (a withdrawal or minus), neutral (status quo or zero), or positive (a deposit or plus). 

In each and every service interaction, whether a hotel stay or flight experience, a retail or house viewing encounter, a phone reservation or bar experience, there is the bland and disappointing (minus), or the thoughtful and extraordinary (plus). Expected service – even if good, garners a zero in the Service Bank. (e.g. Getting a clean room upon check-in or the restaurant hostess extending a standard welcome doesn’t count as a service deposit. However, should there be a strand of hair on the bed or if the greeting was done half heartedly without eye contact, these would amount to a withdrawal in the service bank.)

To illustrate further, each plus is represented by a heart 💖. The more hearts, the more emotionally engaged and connected the service. When this happens, both the service provider and recipient walk away feeling good and positive about the interaction. This is the desired effect, not the subservient one-way: “Yes, sir/madam” hierarchical relationship.

At the end of the day, it is all about how we feel and how we make others feel. 


Reflective thoughts: What 'deposits' have you noticed in your service environment today? Are you giving out any 'pluses' in your own interaction with others?

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