Great Customer Service is Key!

Wow this weekend was hot! Tried to do a little yard work but it was tough BBQ'd instead.

CANVAS magazine sends me a Monday newsletter every week and I thought this one was great. My personal purchasing habits are completely based on the personal touch vs just the price, someone who knows their field and walks you through exactly what you need is invaluable.


July 13, 2009

CANVAS Weekly Newsletter"Nothin' But a Chicken Wing"

It is easy to become skeptical in these challenging times. It seems as though many of our buying experiences are defined by the bare minimum customer service and great ambivalence from the people who are charged with serving.

With a growing concern that our country is mired in a "save yourself" attitude and "commoditized" service, I had some hope restored this weekend.

My brother, a couple of buddies and I traveled to Clinton, South Carolina to play golf. We got up at 5:30 and drove two hours to what amounted to the middle of nowhere. As my friends raved about this golf course, the skeptic in me began to take over. I mean, come on, two hours to play golf? I like the game, but a four hour round-trip doesn't seem to make a lot sense to me.

As you can imagine, there are not a lot of golfers on the course. I think there were about 20-30 people all day. In turn, the golf course is extremely difficult and magnified my very pedestrian game. My score would suggest that this day was not a lot of fun for me. However, I cannot think of a better golf experience in recent memory.

The difference was the service provided. The very small staff seemed to realize that a job is not a right. It is a responsibility. They were falling all over themselves to make sure we had everything we needed. As an example, the general manager actually came out on the course to see how we were doing.

After our round, we were relaxing and telling stories, when Dennis, our waiter, came up with a plate of chicken wings. With a big smile, he said, "these are on my tab, please enjoy". We all looked at each other with shock. This was unexpected, but delightful. By the way, it cost us $60 to play 36 holes of golf!

Having a job instills remarkable pride and should be respected and loved. We may receive some questionable service in our individual lives. However, let's empower each other to create memorable buying experiences for our clients. In the end, it is actually more fun to serve. It makes you feel great and it says a lot about you. In fact, it's easier to serve with enthusiasm than with disdain. In other words, it ain't nothin' but a chicken wing!

All the best,

Mark Potter
CANVAS
www.thecanvasmag.com

Hope you enjoyed

Ronnie