If there's something that's timeless in business, it's customer service. Never will it go unnoticed, particularly when it's bad. Never will it be unnecessary. A recent trip to a New York City eatery proved to me the power of great customer service.
Every once in a while I work in New York City at the Story Worldwide office on Lexington Ave, just a couple blocks from Grand Central. I know a little bit about the city, but not much. I'm certainly not familiar enough with the area to know where all the best eats are.
A few months ago I left the office to pick up some lunch. Naturally, I had no idea where I wanted to eat. I walked south down Lexington and tried to find something that sounded good. By the time I had walked four or five blocks, I had passed at least 20 eateries and still hadn't made a decision. I saw a small cafe and decided to go in. There wasn't anything particularly amazing about this place that drew me to it, but it was there and I was tired of walking.
The cafe was small and only had three people working in it. I was greeted by a friendly gentleman behind the counter who directed me to the back where they made the sandwiches. I remember they were happy to make my wrap just the way I wanted it and it ended up tasting great. Overall it was a pleasant experience, but I didn't think much about it as I left.
Fast forward to just last week. I was in the NYC office again and left for lunch. For a second I debated where to go, until I remembered that cafe. I didn't even know it's name, but I knew it was a few blocks south on Lexington. I thought to myself - "The customer service I had at this place was second to none, and with about 5 different eateries per block, it's impressive that I'm willing to pass at least 20 different places to eat just to buy a sandwich from them."
Of course, I had only gone there once, and even a blind squirrel gets a nut every so often. So as I walked the slushy sidewalks of NYC, I decided that this would be their test. "If I go there again and they give me the same high-quality customer service they provided to me months ago, I'll have to blog about them," I thought.
Once again, they were great. I entered the store and the gentleman greeted me as if I were a long-time customer and friend. He offered me a menu and I headed to the back. The gentleman preparing my sandwich was also very nice and helpful, as was the young man who brought me my food and cleaned my table. Everything was great and the price was very affordable for NYC. I was even so compelled to add their venue on Foursquare and write a positive "tip". Next time I work in the city, I know exactly where I'm going for lunch.
As Valentine's Day quickly approaches, let's remind ourselves that chivalry isn't dead, and neither is great customer service. These gentlemen provide a high-quality experience on a consistent basis. They're friendly, helpful, and genuinely appreciate my business. In a city that literally has thousands of food options, they have differentiated themselves to me. They've shown me what their brand story is, because I experienced it.
These lessons don't just apply to midtown delicatessens. Your presentation audiences deserve great customer service. That's why I make it a point to respect my audience, arrive early and stay late, encourage and answer every question, and ensure I'm offering them valuable content. The same goes for your website visitors, blog commenters, Facebook fans, and wherever your audiences interact with your brand.
It all comes down to caring, and caring can go a long way.
What does great customer service mean to you? How are you providing it?