Adventures in Customer Service

From Tom Peter's excellent book "The Little Big Things" - a rant about customer service that just nails it...

• My local Starbucks stayed open a few minutes late - and the barista fetched something he had already put away to fill my order
• When I handed the barista at my other local Starbucks my thermos, she filled it up without question, even though at the time it was a nonstandard order. They undercharged me - a two cup price for what was probably three cups - and they washed the thermos before filling it, with my asking - or even imagining!
• My local Whole Foods usually opens at 8 AM. But because several of us were waiting, they opened at 7:45 AM. Their folks define helpful.
• Replying to my graduate school MBA reunion, I filled out the questionnaire and when I got ready to mail it, found that the questionnaire didn't fit the accompanying envelope. I tore it all up and tossed it. That's what's wrong with most MBA programs - lack of attention!

Do you bend over backwards to go "a little" beyond the book to help customers?

Do you authorize-encourage everyone (100 percent) to break the rules "a little bit" so as to stretch for the customer?

The 25 companies that made BusinessWeek's first "Customer Service Champs" list in 2007 are very, very, very, very serious about the "little things" and the frontline service providers who make or break a Little Things Movement.

And you?
Personally?
Your team?
Your company?
How do you know?
For Sure?
What are you doing about it?
To encourage more of it?
To reward it when it happens?

Today?

Now!

Don't make the mistake of thinking this doesn't apply to you if you don't run a business - it does.

Church leaders - please take note of how important "customer service" is to your church - and do something about it!