Making A Difference With Customer Service
New Zealand is the country of small businesses and the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. This past week I traveled from Auckland, to Wellington, to Dunedin and up through the lake country of the South Island. Of the 50 million sheep in this country, I think I have seen about 250,000 (give or take a few).
What I have noticed is the family-owned businesses, especially the holiday parks where visitors from all countries (Japan, China, Australia, Germany, US, and many more countries) stay. These parks are immaculate and specialize in friendly service.
If we think about how competitive the lodging industry is, aside from location, good customer service is really the only other area to differentiate. I am amazed at the excellence of the Top Ten Holiday Parks– the staff is super friendly, can’t do enough for their guests– and these parks have everything from kitchens, grills, movies, wi fi and car washes. Service as a competitive advantage for small firms is a specialty in New Zealand!
Candida G. Brush, Professor of Entrepreneurship
Paul T. Babson Chair in Entrepreneurship
Chair – Entrepreneurship Division