“10 out of 10 service” sounds simple. Deliver the same great experience every time, right? But the uncomfortable truth is that 10/10 isn’t a fixed standard, it’s a moving target. If you don’t learn to adapt your approach to each customer, you’ll miss the mark entirely.
There’s a great example of this in the movie ‘Hitman’ with Glen Powell.
He plays a fake hitman who tries to catch people in the act of taking out a hit. He is extremely successful because he doesn’t show up as just any hitman. He shows up as their ideal hitman.
For one suspect he dresses up in a long leather jacket with a thick Russian accent, for another he wears a fitted suit, slick back hair and has a Patrick Bateman style intensity. To another he’s something else entirely – tailoring the 10/10 hitman experience for each person.
That’s the job.
Service works the same way.
We’re often taught the basic service standards; make eye contact, smile with teeth, be engaged. This is the non-negotiable foundation.
But it’s not enough on its own because not everyone defines “great service” the same way.
I learned this the hard way:
I once worked a shift at a lotto store selling lottery tickets. It was busy and fast-paced, but I was ‘on’ all day – smiling, joking, making people laugh. I left thinking I had delivered exceptional 10/10 service. The next day I was pulled aside because people had complained about me. I hadn’t necessarily done anything wrong, but some people didn’t want conversation, the jokes, the high energy. They wanted efficiency, to get their ticket and move on.
That’s what hit me. I was delivering my version of great service, not theirs.
My mistake wasn’t effort. It wasn’t an attitude. It was an assumption.
So yes, you should absolutely have your standards. Have your baseline so you know what “great” service looks like but don’t confuse being consistent with being rigid because:
The goal isn’t to deliver the same experience every time.
The goal is to deliver the right experience every time.
Because the best operators don’t deliver the same service regardless of who’s standing in front of them. They meet you where you are.
They listen to the tone. They watch body language. They match pace and expectations. They shift their delivery without dropping their standards.
That’s the difference. That’s the Hitman rule.
‘Leaders As Coaches’
Empowering your leaders to coach your team to deliver 10/10.
Through our award-winning two-day ‘Leaders as Coaches‘ program, your leaders will learn the techniques, behaviours and skills required to help their teams succeed in delivering service standards, ensuring your customers return and spend more.
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Warm Regards
Craig Cherry