The recent story of a
Chicago cocktail waitress
receiving a $10,000 tip for a $9 bar tab got me thinking about service. Obviously
the service by this particular student moonlighter impressed the patron, but
certainly luck played a big part. Imagine if she had been in a grumpy mood. There are two large supermarket chains in the
area where I live. At one, the employees are nearly always smiling, go out of their
way to say nice things or be helpful, and genuinely seem to enjoy being there. At
the other, the employees look tired, disinterested, gloomy — and it shows in
their work. While waiting in checkout line you can hear cashiers asking each other
how long they've been there, when is their next break, when can they go home. It's the same at all stores of that chain in this
area. Not surprisingly, the chain is struggling. They used to dominate the market
in this region. No longer. The newcomers with the smiley faces are eating them
alive. Attentive service and positive attitude are the reasons. That comes from
within, you can't force people to behave in a manner that is foreign to them. There is a restaurant chain where you can frequently
find me for lunch. Popular in the Southeast, they have great food at reasonable prices,
but they also have a friendly, helpful service staff. The waitresses call me honey
or sweety and ask how I've been. They always make sure my glass is full and talk me
into eating some veggies instead of fries. I return again and again, as much for the
polite and cordial service I receive, as for the meal. Service like this can mean the difference between
success or failure on your web site as well. Whether you are an online business or
simply a helpware and community site like mine, going the extra mile to please your
visitors will build reputation and repeat customers. Respond to email — personally, not with
autoresponders. If you are selling something, do a little more. Offer some tips or
advice, fun or interaction. Cold-hearted sell, sell, sell turns people off. Make
it obvious you enjoy what you're doing. Inject some personality and passion into
your words and deeds. Remember, not one shred of evidence supports the notion that
life is serious. Get to know your guests. Strike up converstaions.
Ask what is bothering them and what you can do with your site to make it better,
to enhance their experience. Provide means of interaction through as many delivery
mechanisms as possible. Telephone, fax, email, message boards, forums, guest books.
The Internet is the world's fastest communication vehicle. If you provide satisfying
service, you can leverage it for success. The IB Community
has been growing by leaps and bounds recently. The original contributions are coming
in on a regular basis. I've fixed some bugs that plagued the forums in the early days,
so if you tried to post, and couldn't, please come back now and try again. This
community will only grow and expand with your support.
9th of June 2000
net.weblogs.com
...an experiment in freeform discourse