I was recently tagged in a Twitter post about customer service. 

Normally, it’s a reader having a rant and suggesting the culprits 'check out @MichaelHeppell and get your staff trained'.

They never do ... but I’m honoured for the shout out. 

This particular tweet was about a simple but effective design in a hotel room to aid sleepy guests on the inevitable middle-of-the-night loo runs. 

The idea is as brilliant as it is simple. 

When you step out of bed, a sensor detects your fumbling foot and turns on low level lighting. No waking your partner, searching for light switches or losing a retina when you accidentally hit ‘the big light’. 

But why bother?  If customers don’t know about such innovation why introduce the expense and hassle of installing these new-fangled devices? 

Because good service becomes brilliant service when you solve the problem the customer didn’t even know they had.  

Stop.  Just read that last sentence again. 

You know what’s next.  What problem could you fix for your customer, one they didn’t even know they had? 

And I’d love to know your best examples of where you have done this or where you have experienced it.  Post your comment here on the web version of this message and I’ll send a copy of my best-selling customer service book - 5 Star Service - to our favourite. 

Be Brilliant!