When a smile means good business
MANILA, Philippines - When can a business claim it is successful? Is it indicated by high sales or good brand reputation? At Shell, there is another simple way of measuring success other than the usual business profitability, and this is by seeing customers smile when they feel happy with the full customer experience they receive. Each day at Shell retail stations all over the country, a smile on a customer’s face is a barometer of success.
Guided by the principle of “Smiling customers at every site, every visit, every day,” Shell rigorously trains its frontline staff to acquire excellent customer service skills and to fuel their passion in delighting Shell customers. This program is dubbed “Project: Smile.”
A survey revealed that even though Shell has been receiving high marks for its customary service at its retail stations, an impeccable service delivery coupled with a simple and genuine smile from forecourt attendants is what completes Shell’s promise of superior customer experience.
“Project: Smile” was launched in 2013, a year before Shell celebrated its centenary in the Philippines. It was perfectly timed for the celebration that marked a century of Shell’s significant contributions to nation-building.
“Customer and You” training sessions sought to instill a customer-oriented mindset among Shell’s retail frontliners. With close to a thousand retail stations nationwide, the transformation journey took place from Baguio in the North and down to Davao in the South.
With “Project: Smile” driving forecourt attendants to be at their best, Shell Retail in the Philippines landed a plum spot among the top 10 operating units of Shell across the globe in 2014, registering its highest operational score of 97.7 percent and reigning above other Shell companies in 70 countries and territories.
A customer voice survey also revealed that customers were more than satisfied with the retail service, with 70 percent of people surveyed recommending Shell as the go-to station for fuel needs.
“Project: Smile” was further bestowed with a Shell global award for customer experience, an Award of Excellence in the 2014 International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippine Quill Awards, and a bronze award in the recently concluded 2nd PANAta Marketing Effectiveness Awards of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA).
