I actually saw that quote in a video on excellence that a local real estate company sent me today.
The reason the quote caught my eye is it made me think of some recent experiences I have had with customer service (like Zappos). I would say the vast majority of companies offer “good service.” They have been trained in “good-service speak.” You know what I mean—they say all the right words, but their hearts are not really in it.
To me, it’s the heart that makes great service—when someone sincerely goes the extra mile or when a company or organization empowers its employees to make the customer truly happy no matter what.
One of my coworkers dropped me a note last week that reminded me of the joy of experiencing great service:
“I recently called the Almay consumer line—I NEVER do this kind of thing…But I had just bought some makeup and I wasn’t happy with it…and I hate returning things at stores. (It’s really a pain with kids!) I was hoping they would do what we do here at Frieda’s—and they did! Full refund voucher—no real questions asked (just logistical details and code date stuff).”
I hope that we all have a similar story to tell about a great customer service experience we’ve had. You know, when you were sincerely surprised and delighted with how something was handled. Of course, one of the best known companies these days is Zappos and founder Tony Hsieh’s philosophy of total satisfaction.
But the real question is this: Have you ever gone the extra mile for your customer? Have you thought about how you could give excellent customer service, so much so, that your client, or your supplier, or your friend or family would never leave you?
I think the key to anyone going the extra mile is that they have to be happy, appreciated, and respected. I guess you could call that the key to great company culture.
I would love to hear about other awesome experiences of customer service. Please share yours in the comment section.
My daughter Alex, our consumer specialist at the time, demonstrating how to go above and beyond: answering the phone from another cubicle with her hands full!
Meanwhile, when you get up tomorrow, think about how you can make it a great day for you and everyone you encounter, not just in business.
Karen