The Golden (Flake) Standard of Customer Service
In a society filled with hustle culture, most people don’t know how or when to stop and ask for help. The refusal to seek help dials down to the common question: why let someone help, when I can do it better myself? Or moreover: why let someone help if they are going to waste my time? Our society is infested with mediocre customer service. The type of service where you listen to elevator music for hours, only to be greeted by a monotone robot. Sometimes, you’re greeted by a real person, but one who makes it clear they have no interest in nor knowledge of how to solve your issue. You feel unsatisfied and more frustrated than when you began.
Good customer service, however, leaves a person feeling refreshed, empowered, and, best of all – it feels easy. I always think back to my favorite restaurant: Nobu. Yes, the sushi is good, but the customer service is what makes this place superb. You feel special, unlike just another person in a fast-food line. Every item on the menu is practically described as the ingredient, and when I left for the bathroom, I came back to see my napkin neatly folded in a triangle on the table.
A white-glove service is a form of service that goes above and beyond what is expected. Did I expect my napkin to be folded in some sort of origami? Of course not! But attention to detail proves how much a company cares about its customers. Even the run-of-the-mill vanilla ice cream I ordered came adorned with golden flakes. While some minute details may go unnoticed, and some companies think adding gold to desserts or napkin origami is a waste of money, it creates a loyal base of customers.
Think about a time you experienced this type of white glove service, the meticulous attention to detail, and genuine empathy from staff. What makes you keep going back to a company for more? All companies should add golden flakes to their products and services – literally and metaphorically. White-glove service should be the standard, not a one-in-a-million occurrence. So be gone, oddly unnerving elevator music, and make way for the new golden (flake) standard of service!
Julia Jackson – Intern
