Good service can’t be beat.
It just can’t. I am all about good customer service! I like friendly cashiers and I like people who smile. I like stores that operate in the framework of wanting to serve the customer.
We live sort of in the middle of nowhere and I like that fact, but that also means we don’t live close to a Chick-Fil-A or a Starbucks or a Target.
There was a Chick-Fil-A built recently about an hour and a half from where we live. We visit the city occasionally, and a while back I was in the area of Chick-Fil-A. It wasn’t a hard decision to wheel into the drive-thru line. I don’t think the restaurant had been open very long and they were pretty busy inside and out. And it wasn’t even lunch time or dinner time. I pulled up to the speaker, ready to place my order. I don’t remember the exact greeting, but it was something along the lines of, “Welcome to Chick-Fil-A. May I take your order?” Spoken in a friendly, alert tone. Not mumbled. Not half awake. Not I-could-care-less. I happily told the drive-thru lady what I wanted to order. She took my order, gave me my total, and told me to pull forward. I thanked her and this was her reply. My pleasure.”
Seriously?! My pleasure! Did you hear that people? My pleasure! I am not used to getting this kind of reply when I’m at a drive-thru. I’m much more used to mumbled answers and I’m-just-filling-in-time attitudes. My pleasure! I love it!
I really shouldn’t be too hard on people who are employed in a job that brings them into contact with customers all day long. I really am not sure how I would react if this were my job. I try to remind myself that you never know what someone is dealing with in their life. We cannot know what it is like to be someone else, until we have lived in their shoes.
We have not been to Chick-Fil-A very many times, but we have always been impressed. Their staff seems cheerful, ready to serve, and just a notch above. I personally think that’s saying a lot!
Another funny experience that sticks in my mind took place at the McDonald’s drive-thru. We pulled up and were greeted with a “Welcome to McDonalds. May In help you?” in a very southern?! drawl.
“Wow, he’s really got an accent,” was the thought that flitted through my mind. It didn’t sound at all native to our midwest area. We gave him our order and I commented to my husband as we drove forward to pay, that, “That was quite an accent.”
When we reached the window, there were two young men, working. One of them gave us our total and I knew right away that it must be the other young man who had the accent. As we rounded up and handed over our cash, he said, “Did you like my accent? Just trying to provide a laugh.” It cracked me up!
We laughed, and said we had commented about the accent. I appreciated the fact that someone was trying to have a good time at their job and pass the time with some harmless fun, instead of monotone greetings and robot-like motions. You can’t please everyone and I’m sure there are people out there that wouldn’t see the humor or appreciate anything about it.
I think it is great! Our country would be a better place if we could all add a few more smiles to our days.
While I’m on the subject of good customer service, I have to give a shout-out to Lands’ End. I like their service and I like their stuff. Every time I have ever called and talked to an associate they are friendly, helpful, and easy to understand. Whenever I call, someone answers the phone. I don’t have to go through an automated greeting and “listen carefully because the menu has changed” or punch three and then two and then seven. If I want to return something to Lands’ End, I can return it at anytime at a Sears store. I can return it in two days or six months. I like Lands’ End and I will admit that I think I shop there more often because they offer great customer service!
I think Kohl’s also offers returns at anytime. This is a policy I really appreciate. Probably in part, because I do live in the middle of nowhere and I can’t just whip by to make a return on my way to the grocery store.
Do you have a story for me about good service?!
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2018
LOVE Chick-Fil-A. Somewhat ashamedly we go there way too often, we used to go on at least a weekly basis but we are getting much better about it. We went so often that one day we went in and the manager said “It’s only Tuesday, you usually come on Wednesday”. Yikes! I have only ever had bad service there once, and it was in the evening from a teenager. We almost always go at lunch time and everyone is perfectly sweet.
I used to work at McDonalds and a friend and I would always do wacky voices through the drive-through. We would say stupid things during our greeting just to prove that no one paid attention to what we were saying. We were required to say something like “Welcome to McDonalds, would you like to try a Big Mac extra value meal?” And people would respond with “No thanks, I’d just like a #1”. Which was….a Bic Mac value meal, lol.
Interestingly enough, I have a blog post on this very topic in the works, I’m waiting to see if the company comes through as promised. One company I have worked with recently that I have been super impressed with their customer service is Sonlight curriculum. They have helped me and been VERY patient and long suffering with all of my questions and problems.
It’s interesting how rarely we notice (or at least comment on) good service but if you’re anything like me, you sure do notice bad service right away.
I remember being at a fast food place(can’t remember what it was) where the person trying to take my order was very polite and trying his best to help me to no avail. I could NOT understand a word he said! We won’t mention any names, but someone got very, very amused. They tried to help me out but it was hard for them to do while they were supressing much laughter. I really like friendly cashiers, etc. and I hope I remember to be friendly myself. That picture brings back some really good memories. I think I was there when it was taken.
I hear you! I love good customer service! Let’s hope I can be great at it now that I may be on the other side of it at times!!!
My BJU rep is THE BEST. Free shipping anytime. Very helpful with any questions.
And I will say a hearty ‘amen’ to everything you said about Land’s End. Love that place!!