"Waiting" The Right Way...
Last week I journeyed back to Upstate New York to meet with staff. My parents drove 90 miles to visit me in Albany and my father hung back with me for a few days. My parents are frugal (and it paid off, as they're now retired and living comfortably), but once in a while he likes to be waited on and he's willing to pay for great service. We headed over to Outback.
My father had never been to the steak house and I just prayed that my recommendation would pay off. Outback isn't my steak house of choice, but when you're out of town and want something reliable, I've found they're usually a sure thing.
On deck were two filet mignon dinners - Dad's medium, and mine medium rare. They were cooked perfectly and nearly melted right in our mouths. My father was quite pleased, as rarely do steaks come out of a chain restaurant kitchen "just right" (save for Ruth's Chris, but we're talking a whole other ballpark there). More perfect was the service. The waitress was just out of college and her perkiness and personality leaves more to be desired out of scores of other places. In fact, it was the best service I've had anywhere in at least five years.
Many years ago I was a waitress and I realized the value of knowing the menu and adjusting your personality for each table. It meant better hours and better tips. While society has pretty much let the food service industry dictate the rules (dining out has gone from being rare and special to a necessity), this young lady didn't seem to care. She was on top of everything; she knew when to inquire if we were satisfied with our steaks, when to refill Dad's soda, and when to deliver the check. She simply did not miss a beat.
As usual, the manager stopped by to confirm everything was fine (it's a standard when you order steaks) and we applauded the waitress. He smiled and thanked us for letting him know.
The check arrived, and we were very gracious with our tip. Imagine our shock, though, after telling the waitress we thought she was just fantastic - it was her third day on the job. And not the third day on THIS particular job, but her third day waitressing. She was totally green, yet somehow knew the unspoken rules - know the menu, know what can be substituted, know how to use your personality and keep track of who ordered what and when to start offering dessert. All these traits were once requirements in running a successful restaurant. They've fallen by the wayside so when I see them in action I'm thrilled beyond belief.
So what does a fine dining experience have in common with running an online store? Quite a bit... shoppers want a memorable experience know matter what they're buying, and word of mouth _is_ the best advertising.
My points are simple: Know your products. Know when to bring in help (use the buddy system, just like she did when she was taking an order from another table and a coworker delivered our appetizer). Know how to skew your personality to suit individual potential and existing customers. And, yes, know when it's time to wrap up the conversation (so as not to waste their time). I'd like to say I wish this young lady was working at my local steak house. Then again, maybe not. I'd be visiting the place way too often and throwing off the household budget.
This post is filed under Developers' Corner and has the following keyword tags: customer service.
