Here in Philadelphia the highs have been below freezing for days and days on end. The snow from the last snowstorm hasn’t gone anywhere, and piles of dirty, icy snow have transformed into veritable mountains to traverse if you’re getting around by foot, Lyft, or bus. I’m so thankful I don’t have a car to dig out or a parking space to shovel and then protect!
In an effort to stave off the winter blues and force myself out of my cozy apartment, I’ve been making lots of plans with friends and family, and inevitably these days, the conversations turn to how poor service seems to be everywhere. At my pharmacy, for example, nearly all retail items are enclosed in locked cases that require the shopper to summon an employee, and I can FEEL the pressure the staff is under. They’re doing their best, but they’re literally being pulled in a dozen directions, and the niceties often and understandably disappear with their exhaustion. When I picked up a prescription the other day, the person who helped me didn’t greet me at all. Instead, they gestured broadly to a new screen where I was prompted to enter my name and date of birth, and after my transaction was complete, they didn’t even wish me well or say goodbye. I was just wordlessly dismissed, disappointed that this opportunity for human interaction on a cold, dark day left so much to be desired.
Friends and family members share similar stories of disappointing service exchanges, and it feels like a small miracle when someone does the bare minimum and gets the basics down. Luckily though, today I’m happy to share an absolutely fantastic story of someone who did the basics brilliantly, as we like to say in Ideba’s white-glove training sessions.
I was helping a client with a catering order for an upcoming tradeshow, and I had scoured the show’s portal for detailed information about menu specifics and overall logistics. I hit a wall at some point and realized that my time would be best spent speaking directly with someone at the venue. I called the number listed in the bewildering portal expecting to find myself in a phone tree vortex of automated prompts and blind transfers, but instead, after just two rings, a real person picked up! When I explained what I needed, I was immediately transferred to the events department, where someone else picked up after just one ring! That person was super knowledgeable and answered all my questions quickly and clearly. I thanked him profusely and hung up to go back into the portal and finish placing the order, totally satisfied with the assistance he provided.
But then! Someone was calling me from the same area code as the property! Even though the number was unfamiliar, I picked up because it was such a coincidence. Of course, it was the same helpful events person calling me back with an additional offer. If I preferred, I could email him directly with my order and he’d take care of the rest, allowing me much more flexibility than I had within the portal. (For example, rather than just ordering a dozen soft drinks, I could specify how many Diet Cokes, Sprites, etc. I wanted to be set, and instead of being forced to order by the dozen, I could order 15! Or 30! Ahhh, sweet, sweet catering freedom!)
Since that follow-up call, he’s continued to be incredibly responsive. When I provided him all the details (times, items, quantities), within a few hours he sent me Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) – documents which are a thousand times clearer and easier to work with than the rigid online order form was, and with many more useful details. I won’t be on-site at this tradeshow, but because of the service this events manager has extended, I’m certain that the client will be in fantastic hands throughout the event.
When @Jenna Whelan and I facilitate service trainings, we emphasize that genuine care is a critical component of creating memorable experiences. Sometimes, that’s providing a 100%, completely thorough answer within one interaction, but just as often, it’s taking a few extra moments to call a client back if you forgot to mention a detail, or if you’ve thought of something additional that could make their experience even better.
I was so impressed that this busy individual went above and beyond to check back in with me. He ultimately saved me (and my client!) hours of hassle in the online ordering system, which allowed me to step away from my desk to go ice skating take a brisk walk to the river near me in time to catch this beautiful, frigid sunset.
Forever appreciative of this events hero for helping me make it through one more day of this brutal winter.
Photo: Mylène Kerschner
Mylène Kerschner – Director, Consulting & Creative Services
