YRBA

It’s true these days that there’s very little to separate products and services from one another.

They can compete on perceived quality, price or customer service.

Here in the Yarra River Precinct we know that we have the “quality”, whether it be in our retail, dining or general hospitality sector, such as the colourful myriad of bars and cafes that we offer.

The ever increasing popularity of online buying means that it’s becoming much more difficult to compete on price alone. So, what we are left with to distinguish ourselves is customer service. We need to concentrate on achieving great levels of service, so that our high product quality is matched by excellent attention to the customer.

One of the best ways to lift standards is to highlight and publicly acknowledge those businesses and individuals in the Yarra River Precinct who are already exceeding customer expectations.

It’s often said that it is no longer enough to simply satisfy customer needs – you need to exceed a customer’s wants and expectations. It’s the unexpected “delight” factor that will convert first-time visitors and one-off purchasers into regular customers. What’s more, they will spread the word among friends and family. Word-of-mouth is the cheapest and

the most effective form of marketing, yet so many owners and managers neglect this essential part of their business.

We’re seeking your help to highlight those businesses of the Yarra River Precinct that are consistently setting high standards of customer service.

Over late spring-and during summer we want you to be on the lookout for excellent examples, then to nominate them using the cut-out coupon (on page 9 of this edition) included in this newspaper. Simply fill it in and post it reply-paid to our office. By nominating, you will be in the running for some excellent prizes and, of course, the satisfaction of profiling your favourite business or one of their staff.

The inaugural Yarra River Customer Service Awards will be presented at a cocktail function in March next year. Look for the nomination coupon now, cut it out, and place it under a fridge magnet.

A very exciting new major event for the Yarra River Precinct is the inaugural Night Noodle Markets, being held in the Alexandra Gardens every night between November 18 and 30.

Imagine the banks of the Yarra transformed into an authentic Asian-inspired hawkers’ market for two weeks. Cool restaurant stalls, fun bars, great music and loads of atmosphere. Some of your favourite eateries will be there, such as Longrain, Mamak and Wonderbao, dishing up everything from roast pork belly gua baos and freshly made roti to pho and Shanghai-style soup dumplings.

A reminder also that many of the events featured in the Yarra River Precinct are highlighted in the events section of the official Yarra River website – www.yarrariver.info/events. 

Bookmark the page so that it’s easy to quickly check-out what is happening on your doorstep every week.

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