The last two days have been a whirlwind of appointments with outside vendors and lack-of-service providers. All have of these interaction have meaningful, powerful and far-reaching implications in your business:
First the Bad:
While I was waiting for my windshield to be replaced, I ran over to Redner's Market to grab a sandwich. Normally, Redner's (an employee owned market) has cheerful and helpful employees.
Not today, Bubba. I made eye contact with 3 employees. Not a one said hello, good morning or "can I help you?". When I got to the check out line the cashier was engrossed in her Dumb-Watch. Index finger with 4 inch fingernail deftly swiping madly on the tiny screen.
I asked if she would mind swiping my sandwich, so that I could get out of there.
I got the cold stare that said "I will kill you if you utter another sound". I took my chicken salad and ran for my life.
- The Lesson here: Follow Disney's rule of being aggressively friendly. Seek out guest contact. Employees should make first contact, not the customer.
The Ugly
My marketing person for my carpet cleaning business was doing her rounds visiting our mavens when she decided to stop into a Decorating Den Interior design location to see if they too would become a maven.
Even before she could get the first syllable out of her mouth, the receptionist asked her "What do you want?" with the same "I will kill you" look I had received at the market.
Not good morning, can I help you, nice day out.... Nope
What do you want?
My employee could have been a potential customer.
The really ugly part was when the receptionist told us "we are a corporate location, we do not support local business".
Really? Let's see how long you last with an attitude like that. We are all small businesses, just some are bigger than others.
- The 2 lessons here: #1 Rudeness CANNOT be tolerated in any form. RUDENESSS is a terminable offense in all of my companies.
- #2 Don't say anything you don't want printed in the papers or on social media. If I had the time, I would take to FB and LI and have a field day with this one.
Finally, the Good
Yep, it was the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). I know, hard to believe.
In Maryland, our DMV has gone to appointments only. As such, they have placed a menacing looking rent-a-cop at the entrance to block would be customers from entering without an appointment. (Again with the "I will kill you look")
Since I did not have an appointment (that is another story for another day dealing with unanswered phones and confusing websites), I thought I would just walk in.
When I approached, a Maryland State Trooper also appeared. I guess I looked like I was going to cause trouble wearing my Docksiders with no socks.
The rent-a-cop announced "
Good morning, do you have an appointment?" No, but I only need a replacement sticker.
"
Well you can do that at the kiosk inside. Officer Tucker, would you show this gentleman to the kiosk?"
WOW! I didn't get tossed out!
The state trooper then took my registration, punched a few keys in the kiosk and BAM! I was done. Couldn't have been more than 3 minutes. A new world record for the DMV
- Lessons here: Good service can happen in the most unlikely of places. Don't judge a book by its' cover. The officer and rent-a-cop were obviously trained in providing service to reduce people going postal in the MVA. Hard to be mad at someone when they are smiling.
Too bad the DMV doesn't serve wine and panini's.