Customer Service 5:15 Rule Explained

In European cities personal space is perceived to be around 5’ (In the US this is 18 - 48” ) Japanese folk tend to stand about 10” apart defining a smaller personal space which can feel slightly pushy if you are not used to it. The 5:15 rule or 4:10 rule refers to the distance at which we as service personnel greet people. In Europe hotels that use this guide use 5:15.

The text book approach defines intimate space as less than 6” – do not enter! personal space as 18” – 48” - greeting distance and normal distance for talking to people we know and at receptions, social space as 4’ – 12’ the distance we normally stand from strangers and therefore acknowledgement distance and over 12’ as public space. There are lots of situations where these distances change but at work If you want people to feel comfortable the golden rule is keep your distance.

The service implications is

Within 5’ we make eye contact, smile and provide a personal greeting . Within 15’ we make eye contact acknowledgement only. This is a helpful ground rule, particularly for young or new staff. In practice, if you stand in a lift with a guest you would say good morning rather than stare at the carpet, likewise if people are in the lobby you would make eye contact though not necessarily greeting them. Warning for the over confident – do not put your arm around someone you have just met, they may smile but they certainly don’t mean it! Less that 6” of distance means either intimacy or hostility.

The best book I have ever read on this issue and I still refer to it is, not surprisingly, “The Definitive Book of Body Language” by Allan and Barbara Pease. If you spend your time watching people in a foyer or a lobby this book alone turns your world in to the ultimate theatre!

Forget Average

In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there
was in me an invincible summer.

Albert Camus

Forget average

Forget average

Nothing average ever stood as a monument to progress.
When progress is looking for a partner it doesn't turn to those
who believe they are only average.
It turns instead to those who are forever searching and striving
to become the best they possibly can.
If we seek the average level we cannot hope to
achieve a high level of success our only hope is to avoid being a failure.
A. Lou Vickery

In Praise of Creativity

Sometimes people do things that just push the limits on what you think is possible. The Adidas Originals Street Party on Coronation Street is a case in point. Last night 500 party goers, VIP's and artists arrived at the Corrie set for the street party of a life time; teas and cakes of course, bunting obviously but personal message from Snoop Dogg! Star Wars cast (brilliantly done by the UK Garrison team), Badly Drawn Boy doing busking outside the new Adidas shop on Coronation Street. The whole thing became a little surreal and a lot of fun and that's before we heard from The Whip and Bernard and Stephen from New Order in the their latest outfit; Bad Lieutenant.

Sometimes its really good to push the imaginative boundary. Why can't we do this every summer.

Congratulations to Gary and all the team at Sparkle Street who had the wit and imagination to make it happen.

Future Everything

Manchester has a track record for creating outstanding live events and lord knows that after seven years at the Bridgewater Hall and Urbis I have played my part in that but as someone who has focused more on production activity I was blown away by the team at FutureEverything last week.

The new arrangement for this former festival took account of an intelligent diverse audience providing an amazing kaleidoscope of activity and urban ideas. I found myself thinking about new ideas, seeing new things, hearing new things and meeting new people as well as old friends leaving this particular veteran of the live scene inspired.

The support that has been given to this project over the past year has rewarded its stakeholders, their investment has allowed this project to achieve a new confidence and positive outlook at a time when I think we all need the encouragement. Looking ahead through 2010 the Future Everything interventions and happenings look likely to keep capturing our imagination and involvement.

Let's here it for all those planners, volunteers, participants, PR folk, journalists, audience members and funders who made it such a treat.