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Friendly formality and a smile as you dial please, say customers
WE may not
expect a hat to be raised, but a polite 'good morning' and a
smile in the voice is how most of us like to be addressed by the
businesses we contact, according to new research.
69% prefer a
more formal greeting such as Good Morning. 22% liked 'hello'.
But the more casual 'hi!' was almost beyond the pale, with
fewer than 1 in 10 preferring that.
The survey was conducted by Standard Life Healthcare, which has been
voted 'Best Customer Service Provider' at the annual Health
Insurance Awards for 6 years running. The study also revealed
that:-
* 53% prefer to be
called by their title and surname - women (59%) more than men (47%).
* Only 36% like to be
called by their first name, although the younger the person the more
acceptable it is. 53% of 16-24 year olds and 43% of 25-34 year olds
like it. People aged over 35 much prefer title and surname compared
to any other age group.
* We like people to
smile as they dial! 68% can tell if you are smiling when they talk
to you on the phone. Younger people (16-34) are most intuitive as
77% of them can tell.
* More than half of
people under the age of 35 would like to be able to text enquiries
to suppliers and receive replies by text. (58% of 16-24 age group,
50% of 25-34 year olds)
'Customer care is part of what sets us apart,' said
spokesman Mandy Blanks. 'We regularly ask our customers what
they want, so that we can continue to improve our service to them -
not simply in terms of our private medical insurance products, but
also the important little things, like speaking to them in the way
they like to be spoken to!'
Standard Life Healthcare is also well known for its annual Attitudes
to Healthcare survey, which is an in-depth study into customer
attitudes to healthcare issues at home and in the workplace and
receives widespread publicity.
The last one was published in
November 2006 and is available at
standardlifehealthcare.co.uk.
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AGE
CONCERN LIVERPOOL OFFERS LOCAL PEOPLE PEACE OF MIND
AGE Concern
Liverpool is holding a Funeral Planning Day at its office at 5 Sir
Thomas Street, Liverpool, L1 6BW on Monday 16 July from 10am to help
local customers to think ahead and pre-plan their funeral.
According to a recent research finding, nine out of ten people in
Britain have not made any arrangements for their funeral1. Age
Concern recognises that many people want to put their affairs in
order but just need a little help to gain that peace of mind.
The average cost of a funeral in 2006 was £2,217 and it is predicted
to rise to £3,350 by 2012. The Age Concern Funeral Plan fully covers
the funeral director’s costs included in a plan at today’s prices,
ensuring that loved ones won’t have to pay a penny towards those
costs. If you had taken out Age Concern’s most popular funeral plan
10 years ago, you would have saved £810 by now.
Throughout the Funeral Planning Day, representatives from Morecrofts
Solicitors will be available to offer legal advice to the local
people regarding wills and power of attorney.
Phil Hughes, Business Development Manager for Age Concern Liverpool,
said:- “Planning a funeral in advance, with Age Concern
Funeral Plans, means that the family is spared the stress of
organising it whilst they’re grieving and it means that the deceased
can have the funeral they wanted - favourite hymns, preferred
flowers and the route for the cortege, are all a very personal
choice. Knowing that their loved one has had the funeral they
desired often brings comfort to relatives. It also makes good
financial sense to pre-plan, especially as funeral costs have been
rising over the last few years with the trend seeming set to
continue. During the Funeral Planning Day, we will be offering
locals the opportunity to put their affairs in order in a friendly
supportive environment.”
The Age Concern Funeral Plan, now in its 10th year, is designed to
appeal to all with no age restrictions, no medicals required and
guaranteed acceptance.
Age Concern offers 3 Funeral Plans offering a
choice of arrangements and individual requests.
Age Concern’s
Funeral Plan provides flexible plans and payment methods to suit
different requirements and is provided in collaboration with Dignity
Caring Funeral Services.
For further information about Age Concern Liverpool’s Funeral
Planning Day please contact Age Concern Liverpool on 0151 330 5555,
or come and visit us at 5 Sir Thomas street, Liverpool. |
