I often write from the point of view of a business operator wanting to increase my (happy) customer base, but two things recently made me decide to write about the benefits of being a good, recognised and valued customer. Now I should point out that these benefits are truly maximized when you are connecting with companies who value customer service!
My car needed gas, but it was at the very end of it’s lease term and due to be returned in two days time to the dealership, and so I decided to just put $20 in to get me through the next few hours, and so that I didn’t return the car with the fuel light on. Due to an error at the pump, I had to stop the fill from happening when it was ticking over at about $27. You know, I was just standing there daydreaming and not paying attention when it flicked past $20.
So I went to the counter, and a new guy was on, who wanted to just charge me the full amount. Now without going into complicated details, it was the station’s fault that my fill went beyond the required $20. Fortunately for me, the other person working the counters that evening agreed with me when I said “hey this was not my problem but yours, and I’m a regular customer here and not trying to rip you off’…” outcome was that I only had to pay the $20.
Now that may not have been a lot to get excited about, but it was really nice for me to feel OK as I left the station, and didn’t leave a bad taste in my mouth over a mishap, which it would have if they’d pushed the point and made me pay the whole amount. Thanks Shell 5 Xrds, Hamilton, you guys Rock!
The other recent incident was that I had a technical error on my Eftpos card when I went to pay for a meal with a client last week, at a local cafe I regularly love to host client meetings at. This was a new client and I wanted to impress her – - the last thing I needed was to have to make her pay for her lunch, or to look bad in front of her when my card was rejected.
I should point out that I stupidly went there with only my card, and not my whole wallet and handbag that day, and no spare cash in my pocket either. When the payment was rejected due to this technical glitch, I went through those immediate feelings of embarrassment, stress, and OMG what next? all in the space of milliseconds.
Fortunately I was such a regular customer, that although I was not even on first name basis with the assistant behind the counter, she was able to happily smile and say, that’s ok Maria, why don’t you just pop back tomorrow and fix it up. Now she didn’t even have to check this with her boss, but was able to see the situation for what it was, and immediately put me as ease in front of my client. Wow – what fantastic customer service at Cafe 547, Hamilton East.
I do like to try new places to shop, and eat, but confess to being a person who sticks with where and what I know a lot of the time and it’s nice to feel that my loyalty to businesses I go to is rewarded when sticky things happen. As they do from time to time for all of us.
Now I believe that we customers need to step up to and embrace a golden rule in order to deserve some extreme levels of customer service too. I share with my children too, and this works regularly. Be nice to the staff!
At the supermarket, with the wait staff, the guy behind the counter at the lunch bar or service station – whoever they are, use their names, start some level of conversation when appropriate, and treat them like you really do value their contribution to your day. They’ll not only remember you, but will probably be even more helpful on that maybe one day time you need some extra help.