Don’t you just love a great customer service experience? As a backdrop to what happened to me recently, let me paint the picture of our summer here. We were in the middle of over 50 days of 100 plus degree temperatures, and absolutely not a drop of rain. Talk about setting some records! The heat was unrelenting and it is hard to stay cool when you are running back and forth to client offices, or doing errands.
So, on that steamy Friday I was pulling through the bank after lunch, on my way to another client appointment. (I remember it was a Friday because the bank tellers had on their “Got Money?” t-shirts.) I was depositing a check and getting some cash back for the weekend. When the little container came back to me through the bank chute – what do they call those things? – I took out my receipt and cash, and saw something else there. Lo and behold, it was a popsicle! I just chuckled and looked over at the teller. She was grinning and laughing and said, “It’s Beat the Heat” time. What a very small and inexpensive thing to do to add customer service. It was totally a surprise, and very welcome after weeks and weeks of heat and humidity. I was thrilled, needless to say, and thanked her and laughed, too.
I told many people about my experience that day and posted about it on Facebook. It made a big impression on me, and I suspect on many others that afternoon. I don’t know if that was just a one-day happening, but it will stay with ME for a long time.
So, think about how you can add over-the-top, unexpected customer service to your own clients. It doesn’t have to cost much or be extravagant. Sometimes it’s the little things that matter the most.
Tell me about your favorite customer service stories. We’ve all had bad ones…time to celebrate and brainstorm some “cool” ideas!
Amy! I LOVE this story! Thanks so much for sharing. In terms of a great customer service story, gosh I need to give that some thought. Sad huh? I wish I had more to talk about but now-a-days companies don’t seem to value it as much as we customers would like. I will give it some thought and hopefully have one to share very soon! Thanks again for sharing this story. Great wisdom in the popsicles. It’s such a great testament to also for word-of-mouth and referral marketing (a.k.a. CARING and thinking about the customer’s needs before your own)…goes a very loooong way
I love this story too, Amy! It is a shame that sometimes bad customer experiences get talked about more than positive customer service stories!
PS: I call the bank container at the drive-thru window a “tube”. I wonder if it has an actual name?! LOL.
To me, there’s nothing greater than a company going above and beyond what is expected of them. A radio show that is broadcasted locally has “Fan Braggin Friday,” so fans can all share their experiences of people and businesses doing it right. So often we hear what companies are doing wrong, but what’s more important is Who is doing it right? And how can we support those companies.
The radio show is http://www.experiencepros.com/ In case you want to call in and brag!
WooHoo!!! I talk about creating memorable experiences and all the time with my clients and this is a definitely example of a business doing just that! By their small gesture, look at all of the FREE marketing and FREE publicity they are getting by you sharing your story … Great lesson!
Jennifer Bourn, Bourn Creative
This is such a great story Amy! And I love that the over-the-top customer service gesture was so consumer focused – and SIMPLE. That’s the way it should be but often people send logo items or try to get overly strategic about what they could get, benefit or gain by giving. It’s so nice to have an example to share that is completely all about the customer.
Brenda – you are right. Why don’t companies “get” that we want better customer service? This was a brilliant idea.
Kelly – a Tube! Of course. Maybe I need to ask someone at the bank what they call it…Glad you liked the article. Thanks for sharing.
Andrea – Fan Bragging Friday – sounds like a good news kind of show. Maybe we should do that on our Facebook fan pages…!
Jennifer – I love the term “memorable experience.” Unfortunately, we all have many bad memorable experiences. I am glad that I have been talking about it. This really IS getting a lot of attention!
Oh Gina. How right you are that we try too hard with the branded things and catchy items. Marketing is just understanding what your client needs. And I sure needed something cool that day!
I have 2 banks I go to and 2 dogs (wheaten terriers), who love to go for a ride. One bank gives out doggie cookies and they make a big deal of it and ask me questions about them. The other bank does nothing. Guess which is my favorite bank? I hide cookies in my console and sneak them to my dogs when we go to the other bank so they won’t be disappointed when the tube comes back empty!
Lynn, that is so funny about your dogs. Guess your bank is going the extra mile, too! Love your story here. Thanks for sharing.
Love it! Since I did own my own business for seven years, I am HUGE on customer service. Love this story, love what the bank did. A great customer service experience I had recently was at my eye doctor. I bought my Maui Jim sunglasses at a store in the mall about two years ago. I accidentally dropped them on the ground and chipped the lens. I was devastated. I really did not want to have to spend another $200 for a pair of glasses. Happened to go to the eye doctor for one of my son’s, saw they were a Maui Jim representative, mentioned what had happened to my glasses. They took them and sent them into Maui Jim for me free of cost. It did end up costing me $43 for repair, but they called me prior to confirm it was okay. A couple of weeks later I had my glasses back as good as new. Fabulous customer service! I know where I will be getting my entire families eye care needs taken care of from now on…