Pleasant customer service experiences make the day better for everyone, including the service person. I would think an eight hour shift would go much faster if it were filled with kind and helpful interactions.
I hadn’t thought of that aspect, Jim, but you’re quite right. From my point of view, I almost always say things like “Good morning” to servers and have a conversation (usually about the weather!) and a bit of a laugh. I’m sure it makes the day go better for all concerned.
Service that comes with a dose of humanity like a smile with eye contact, or someone who goes out of their way always stands out. Sometimes it's mind-boggling how folks in the service industry can behave.
Yes. Eye contact: now there's a thing. A couple of years ago I got so fed up with some useless teenaged girl who was looking everywhere except at me that I just stopped mid-sentence until she looked at me, at whichbpoibt I said “Are you ready now?”.
And here I thought customer service was bad only in America. Sufficiently annoyed by my request, the rep will say to me when I leave the store, "You have a nice day," in a tone which really says "I hope you get run over on your way to your vehicle." These days I really should get a job, though, because then I'd get paid for not doing anything. On the other hand, years ago when I ran an executive lunch route selling sandwiches and salads to office workers, I would give them IOUs. I knew they would pay me on their paydays and I would've made a sale. In fact, I built my business because of that.
Giving them IOUs was very trusting of you, and very nice, and clearly good business. I've heard that before, about bad service in America. I wonder if that's something that's declined over the years, because when I went, a few decades ago, it was brilliant.
Definitely declined since 9/11, Terry. You'd think it would go the other way, wouldn't you? Maybe it's just a new generation where everyone's been told "good job" even if they didn't do anything. So, I come along and expect them to do something and they're annoyed, entitled.
I agree, very strange. I think if I ran a public-facing enterprise, like a shop or a restaurant, I would make salary partially and obviously linked to profit. It has always astonished me that rude shop workers haven't worked out that if the store fails they lose their job. Mind you, I don’t suppose they care.
Exactly. I even asked a guy once if he cared that the company would fail due to his poor service. He told me he didn't care. It turned out that the company, a moving business, was a ring in Miami and Las Vegas and when I started unpacking what they had delivered, I found that they had stolen some of my stuff. So, there's that.
Yes, a ring in this context is a crime network. The thieves were rounded up; that news was on Facebook. But, unfortunately, since the movers traveled interstate -- my things came across country from California to Delaware -- it's nearly impossible to go after them legally, because laws in each state vary. The movers picked up my belongings from a storage facility in Calif., unloaded them into a warehouse in Las Vegas, Nevada, where apparently they split the spoils -- like pirates, I suppose. I picture them sitting around on my chairs and tables drinking beer (or bottles of rum), smoking cigarettes and laughing. Then they trucked them to New Jersey, about 2 hrs from here, delivered them to another truck which apparently sat beneath an overpass for a week or two and then delivered them to my house where the guys just wanted to dump them inside my front door rather than place them in their designated rooms. That's when the guy told me he didn't care if he lost his job when the company folded. I did succeed in getting them to place things in the proper rooms. But some of the items had black dust on them, probably city soot from industrial northern New Jersey. This is a whole story, isn't it.
This was so great, Terry. Your examples all ring true, and wow about the shopkeeper who gave you a lift That's beyond fantastic!
Here's my tale of fantastic customer service from the parking garage personnel across the street from my (very large) office building in downtown Austin:
A co-worker baked a dessert topped with freshly whipped cream and fresh strawberries and had it situated on a glass cake stand. As he got out of his car and while holding the cake stand, he accidentally dropped it, shattering the glass and destroying the dessert. He had no way to clean up the mess as he was far removed from any supplies in which to do so.
I contacted the garage folks and not only did they clean up the mess, they washed the coworkers car, on the spot, as the dessert carnage had splashed up onto his car. The kind garage attendants didn't mention this to me; my coworker did.
I'm encouraged by the kindness of others, especially when it's under the radar, and the doer seeks zero recognition. Kindness and thoughtfulness are always the right thing.
Sometimes it is not. This one auto parts store that I frequent left me hanging the last time I was in there. I went for a simple part that was behind the counter but as soon as he found it on the screen the phone rang. Instead of putting the call on hold for a few seconds he started helping them and left me standing. After a minute or so he went to see if he had the part and I told him thanks and walked out and went down the road to another store. It wasn't a battery or anything, but it was a $78.00 part. "A bird in the had" comes to mind.
Oh Terry, such brilliant, brilliant stories! Loved all of them - what great customer service experiences.
And your mum was absolutely WONDERFUL. Bravo, Terry's mum!
Pleasant customer service experiences make the day better for everyone, including the service person. I would think an eight hour shift would go much faster if it were filled with kind and helpful interactions.
I hadn’t thought of that aspect, Jim, but you’re quite right. From my point of view, I almost always say things like “Good morning” to servers and have a conversation (usually about the weather!) and a bit of a laugh. I’m sure it makes the day go better for all concerned.
Service that comes with a dose of humanity like a smile with eye contact, or someone who goes out of their way always stands out. Sometimes it's mind-boggling how folks in the service industry can behave.
Yes. Eye contact: now there's a thing. A couple of years ago I got so fed up with some useless teenaged girl who was looking everywhere except at me that I just stopped mid-sentence until she looked at me, at whichbpoibt I said “Are you ready now?”.
Very effective!
LOL.
Serving, making, constructing, cleaning: no AI there. Beautifully articulated! Long ago, but fresh in memory.
Exactly, which is perhaps why some think they're irreplaceable. Thanks Jill.
"One has the impression that, all too often, customers are regarded as something of an inconvenience."
Especially when one is trying to order cheese, or return a dead bird...
🤣
Monty Python? 🤣
As I recall, an attempt to order a dish containing Spam can provoke almost too much customer service.... #ifyouknowyouknow
And here I thought customer service was bad only in America. Sufficiently annoyed by my request, the rep will say to me when I leave the store, "You have a nice day," in a tone which really says "I hope you get run over on your way to your vehicle." These days I really should get a job, though, because then I'd get paid for not doing anything. On the other hand, years ago when I ran an executive lunch route selling sandwiches and salads to office workers, I would give them IOUs. I knew they would pay me on their paydays and I would've made a sale. In fact, I built my business because of that.
Giving them IOUs was very trusting of you, and very nice, and clearly good business. I've heard that before, about bad service in America. I wonder if that's something that's declined over the years, because when I went, a few decades ago, it was brilliant.
Definitely declined since 9/11, Terry. You'd think it would go the other way, wouldn't you? Maybe it's just a new generation where everyone's been told "good job" even if they didn't do anything. So, I come along and expect them to do something and they're annoyed, entitled.
I agree, very strange. I think if I ran a public-facing enterprise, like a shop or a restaurant, I would make salary partially and obviously linked to profit. It has always astonished me that rude shop workers haven't worked out that if the store fails they lose their job. Mind you, I don’t suppose they care.
Exactly. I even asked a guy once if he cared that the company would fail due to his poor service. He told me he didn't care. It turned out that the company, a moving business, was a ring in Miami and Las Vegas and when I started unpacking what they had delivered, I found that they had stolen some of my stuff. So, there's that.
Im sorry to hear you had sone stuff stolen. Impossible to prove I suspect. What is a "ring"? Is it a chain?
Yes, a ring in this context is a crime network. The thieves were rounded up; that news was on Facebook. But, unfortunately, since the movers traveled interstate -- my things came across country from California to Delaware -- it's nearly impossible to go after them legally, because laws in each state vary. The movers picked up my belongings from a storage facility in Calif., unloaded them into a warehouse in Las Vegas, Nevada, where apparently they split the spoils -- like pirates, I suppose. I picture them sitting around on my chairs and tables drinking beer (or bottles of rum), smoking cigarettes and laughing. Then they trucked them to New Jersey, about 2 hrs from here, delivered them to another truck which apparently sat beneath an overpass for a week or two and then delivered them to my house where the guys just wanted to dump them inside my front door rather than place them in their designated rooms. That's when the guy told me he didn't care if he lost his job when the company folded. I did succeed in getting them to place things in the proper rooms. But some of the items had black dust on them, probably city soot from industrial northern New Jersey. This is a whole story, isn't it.
This was so great, Terry. Your examples all ring true, and wow about the shopkeeper who gave you a lift That's beyond fantastic!
Here's my tale of fantastic customer service from the parking garage personnel across the street from my (very large) office building in downtown Austin:
A co-worker baked a dessert topped with freshly whipped cream and fresh strawberries and had it situated on a glass cake stand. As he got out of his car and while holding the cake stand, he accidentally dropped it, shattering the glass and destroying the dessert. He had no way to clean up the mess as he was far removed from any supplies in which to do so.
I contacted the garage folks and not only did they clean up the mess, they washed the coworkers car, on the spot, as the dessert carnage had splashed up onto his car. The kind garage attendants didn't mention this to me; my coworker did.
I'm encouraged by the kindness of others, especially when it's under the radar, and the doer seeks zero recognition. Kindness and thoughtfulness are always the right thing.
Oh, that's really lovely, Mary!
Wow! I thought you were going to say that the garage even baked a replacement dessert!
That would have been awesome! 😁
😂
Sometimes it is not. This one auto parts store that I frequent left me hanging the last time I was in there. I went for a simple part that was behind the counter but as soon as he found it on the screen the phone rang. Instead of putting the call on hold for a few seconds he started helping them and left me standing. After a minute or so he went to see if he had the part and I told him thanks and walked out and went down the road to another store. It wasn't a battery or anything, but it was a $78.00 part. "A bird in the had" comes to mind.
An excellent example, Paul. I wonder if such people ever consider how much business they are losing without even realising it. Probably not.