Let me share with you the following can do customer service story on how you can outperform your competition and win customers every day.
On our road trips to New Jersey to facilitate a motivation program for a client, Joy and I make it a habit to order food from a particular fast food restaurant. Although the food is not nutritious, it tastes good and is so famous that there was a movie made about the adventures of two people searching for this restaurant (Hint: Harold and Kumar are the two main characters).
During a recent road trip, as we approached the restaurant, we noticed that the lights were out in several of the businesses leading up to it. Nearing the front door of the restaurant, we noticed a sign that read “Restaurant Closed Due to Power Outage. Sorry for the Inconvenience.” Well, we were not to be denied. We hopped back into the car and drove up to the drive through window and tapped on it. We asked what happened, and the restaurant employee apologized for the inconvenience and explained that a storm had come through the area and knocked out power in their business and they were in the process of bringing power back up.
We explained that we drove many miles and make it a habit to frequent their restaurant when in the area and asked if they could do anything for us. With a smile, she turned to her co-workers to get agreement on what they could do as a team and then explained, without hesitation, shared the following:
- “We have one burner up and running so we can make any type of hamburger for you. What would you like?
- “Our shake machine is still frosty so we can give you free milk shakes, on the house, for your inconvenience”
- “Our fryer is up so we can make fries or onion rings for you, which would you like?
We were delighted with the service as the employees quickly and cheerfully put together our order. She could have taken a “can’t do” attitude and not answered our knocks on the window or told us they were closed. She could have used the storm damage as an excuse not to serve us. But instead, she displayed a “can do” attitude for creating and winning customers no matter what the situation.
Whether you work in a restaurant or office environment, serve internal or external customers, or work in an environment that expects results, the following are five essential secrets to developing a “can do” customer service attitude and creating repeat customers:
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