Customer Service

   Have you heard of the saying “The customer is always right?” It’s not always true, but it has been the staple of many businesses that dedicate themselves to serving the customer...and in return get customer loyalty which ensures continued and profitable business. Now, I’m not going to pretend that anything I write here, especially about this subject, are absolutes...since we all probably have a story about a profitable business that has terrible customer service, or have witnessed a business fail that had excellent customer service. There are exceptions to every rule...but as a rule, a business does better with great customer service than without it.

   I had a recent experience with service, and being a customer, felt I was right. For some reason, a specific scene always plays in my head when I find myself in a situation where I have to point out that I’m not happy with the service. The scene is from the Michael Douglas movie “Falling Down” and the scene is when he walks into a fast food place and wants some breakfast, but they’re serving lunch. He delivers the classic line “ Have you heard of the saying ‘the customer is always right?’...well here I am, the customer.”

   Well, there I was, the customer. I was at a restaurant I had been at several times, ordering a dish without mushrooms (hate the fungus and don’t know why they classify it as a vegetable...when it’s a damn fungus), that I have ordered every time I had been there. Only this time, they told me they couldn’t do it. Excuse me...? I know they “could” because they’ve done it before, so the only logical explanation is that they would not. Ok...no problem, I didn’t raise a fuss...but I did want a small word with the manager.

   My only intention was to simply bring the situation to the attention of management so that in the future they could be more consistent. After all, I went to this particular location in the chain because they feed me without the fungus while a closer location to my abode won’t accommodate me. The conversation was pleasant and brief...but not without a surprise. The manager was filling in from his regular location, the very same I was slamming as I spoke to him. It wasn’t an awkward moment for me because I tell it like it is...but for him, it might have been uncomfortable (although he never let on that he was).

   After he left, I was satisfied that I had been heard, impressed with the professionalism and cool demeanor I had been met with and very much enjoying my meal and family time when the manager returned. Imagine my surprise when he came bearing gifts...both in hand and unseen. In hand he had some figurines that represented a portion of the story behind the theme of the restaurant. That was nice...something for the shelf. It’s when he said that he paid for everything that had been ordered that I realized that “customer service” comes in levels...and I had just experienced the top level!

   By now you’re probably wondering what and where this restaurant is...but my letter to the top levels of the company about the great service will have to be sufficient. The important part of all this is that through the actions of one person’s dedication to great customer service, the company has retained a customer...and will no doubt gain several more, just from the telling of this story (although I’ll at least have to tell the “what” in order for that to happen. Wait...I just did, but the “where” will remain my secret).