Being exceptional
One of the things I always always reminded my subordinates back when I was a Manager in Customer Service & Training, was to be observant without being too obvious. In other words, be discreet when they getting information from a client. Or prospect. The moment a potential client walks into the office, discreetly give them a once over. And see and digest what you can of them in that short span of time.
I had the opportunity of being given this "once over" several years ago. I was with a friend and we happened to walk into this shop that sells accessories for teenagers (I guessed...since the majority of their clients ARE teenagers and girls young enough to be my daughters!); besides, the designs would also look out of place on anybody in my age group.
To continue, the shop was quite packed; it was during a lunch break, it was month-end and it was during the YES (Year End Sale) period. We went in anyway, with no intention to purchase, just to look-see. A pretty sales assistant immediately started following us around, and unlike any other instances, this time I didn't mind her because she kept a pretty good distance away from us. Well, what do you know - further in the shop were items that did caught the interest of my friend and I. Suddenly, we remembered another friend's birthday coming up and how this friend loved asseccories...
All this while we were busy talking and picking up pieces we thought would be suitable...before finally deciding on a lovely necklace and brooch set. At this point, the sales assistant who had been tailling us discreetly stepped forward, offerred to pack the item for us and casually asked if I wouldn't also like to also get that green pendant set for my 7 year old daughter...Wow!
At the cashier, I provided my credit card as payment and waited for my bill to be printed. She then returned my credit card to me, using both hands. The sales assistant wrapped the necklace and brooch in an elegant birthday wrapper....Wow! She then handed the item to me in a nice paper shopping bag and thanked me for the purchase, refering to me by my short name...Wow!
Wow! Exceptional...the outlet should pride itself for having such Exceptional service personnel. You can imagine I was very excited and honored - having personally experienced what I have been preaching all these while is very exhilirating indeed.
The girls in the shop were discreet yet very observant - they kept their ears and eyes open. They caught on my conversation with my friend and they observed our body language - a friend's upcoming birthday, my excitement at seeing the green pendant that my daughter would love though she's only 7 years (I remembered telling this to my friend). And when I handed my credit card, they bothered to look at the name on the card - which is actually a mandatory security check, but they also used it to their service advantage and made me feel like a friend!
I never stop sharing this experience with my trainees whenever I am called to conduct a program on Customer Service. To the shop's management, I wrote a nice appreciative letter, and yup, I actually did get my daughter that green pendant!
Wow!
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