ESSIONA
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The Core of Service Excellence
I
don’t like to shop. Clothes shopping, grocery shopping, car
shopping: It doesn’t matter – I don’t like it. I want to get in,
get what I want (fast) and get out. That’s my strategy when
I have to shop. Two recent shopping experiences, however,
were pleasant surprises. Both of these experiences showcased
customer service at its best and its most simple. Once again, I
was reminded that great service isn’t about grand acts; it’s about
common courtesy, artfully delivered.
The first story took place while on vacation in Chicago. I
needed to buy a pair of casual shoes (I had forgotten mine at
home). I found myself in a store called The Walking Co. in a
Chicago mall. A friend once told me that it was a good store. It
was crowded, so I almost left. But one of the salespeople made
eye contact with me. It wasn’t the kind of eye contact that said,
“Oh no, another customer.” Instead, it was eye contact that said,
“I know you’re there, and I’ll be right with you.” It was good eye
contact.
So I browsed around for a couple of minutes
and found a pair of shoes I liked. Sure enough, the
salesperson was right next to me, and she said, “Sorry
about the wait. Let’s get you some shoes.” I showed
her the pair I was interested in and asked to try a size
10. She said, “Let’s measure your foot just to make
sure.” I know that I wear a size 10, but her
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whole demeanor showed that she wanted to
make sure I got the right shoes. She was a
professional.
She measured my foot and said,
“Size 10 is right, but you have a very
‘Reubenesque’ foot.” I didn’t know what
that meant but she sure seemed to know
what she was talking about. “I’ve got to
by Dennis Snow
tell you, the type of shoe you’ve selected
won’t be the most comfortable for you. I
think this other style would feel much better.” Being the skeptic
that I am I looked at the price of her suggested shoes to see how
much she was upselling me. Same price. Hmm. With nothing to
lose, I tried on the style she suggested and they were extremely
comfortable. Enough time has passed since buying the shoes
that any psychological effect has passed – they are truly the most
comfortable pair of casual shoes I’ve ever owned (I wear them all
the time).
As I paid for the shoes, the salesperson continued
to wow me. She said, “If you ever buy a pair of shoes
somewhere else – and I don’t know why you would, be sure
to tell the salesperson that the arches in your foot have fallen
just a little, and you need shoes with some arch support
– just like these.”