This past week I had the incredible opportunity to experience first hand customer service that delighted and delivered loyal customers as well as just the opposite.
Delightful Customer Experience
Since I do a lot of traveling between my office and clients within the Chicago metropolitan area, I spend a lot of money at gas stations and hence I am always trying to save a few cents. At one Interstate intersection, there is one station that is convenient as it is on the same side of the street and an easy in-out. However, this station is always several cents to a dime more than the one on the other side of the overpass.
Time was short and so I stopped in this national gasoline store to purchase fuel. Before I left, I went to the convenience store to buy a soft drink. The dispenser was not functioning properly on my favorite diet soda so I took the other diet drink. When I went to pay for the drink, I nicely told the cashier, Toya, that the one dispenser was not working correctly. She immediately apologized, gave me my drink free and then handed me a card for another free drink at a later time. I told her that I was more than willing to pay for the cola, but she said No, because "the one I had wasn’t the one I wanted." Toya continued to express to me that my satisfaction is important because my patronage pays her salary and she wanted me to come back. Wow, does this lady understand the bottom line or what? I thanked her and walked to my car thinking that the couple of cents I pay more for this fuel was worth it.
Undelightful Customer Service
As I attend and speak at conferences, I was attempting to reserve a room at a national chain. Since the conference had just moved, I was a new person to this particular hotel. The reservation person that I spoke to was not physically located at the site even though the number was for this hotel's geographic location. After waiting several minutes, I finally reached a reservation's person. This lady was polite, but sounded like she was speaking to a dead fish. And,I was the dea fish! I had to repeat information to her several times before I could learn if any rooms were available. When room availability was confirmed, I asked physically if these rooms were away from the pipes and noise that I had heard several other of my colleagues had experienced during the last conference. She couldn't tell me that. I said I would think it over.
Immediately my finger dialed or rather pushed the phone number of the other national chain where I had stayed in the past. The Manager of the Hotel, Dennis, answered and quickly assured me that rooms were available. When I gave him my name, he remembered me and said he was glad that I was returning as a preferred customer. Since I was driving in, I asked him for a phone number of my favorite restaurant as I wanted to make a reservation during the drive. He quickly complied with my request and said he look forward to seeing me again. Again, his actions have created a loyal customer.
Both of these individuals, Toya and Dennis, understood the value of connecting with their customers and providing service that delights. Exceptional customer service does deliver loyal customers. Now the only challenge is to make sure that all of your employees are delighting and thus delivering loyal customers to your business.
Copyright 2005(c) Leanne Hoagland-Smith, www.processspecialist.com
Customer Service That Delights and Delivers Loyal Customers - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales success or one of the many who have failed to change? So what are you doing to change those results? Let’s be honest, with companies moving globally and at lightening speeds, the traditional business solutions are outdated and dead. My approach moves your business out of its comfort zone and secures your competitive advantage now. If you are seeking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, create a culture of great attitudes or just achieve some sleep filled nights, then we should talk because my clients have experienced exactly those types of results. Learn more about customer loyalty at http://www.processspecialist.com/customer-loyalty.htm Give me a call at 219.759.5601 for a free strategy session. P.S. If you are seeking a motivational speaker, sales trainer or small business expert that will leave your audience smiling and remembering, please feel free to contact me at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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