The other day I stopped in an unfamiliar grocery store to pick up several items I'd seen in their ad. Most of them were easy to find, but I couldn't track the last one down. Rather than wandering aimlessly around the store until I found what I was looking for, I got the attention of an associate who was busy stocking shelves and asked her to point me in the direction of the right department.
Instead of pointing me, she stopped what she was doing and walked me to the correct area. While we walked she asked me about my day, and when we arrived at the department she found the item and handed it to me. We talked about how we'd prepare it and what side dishes would go best with it. The associate even took me to the produce department to show me some of the ingredients she was talking about. It was the best customer service I'd had in quite some time.
When I went to check out I found out the associate at the cash register was just as friendly and helpful as the first one had been. She also asked me how my day was going, and told me about a favorite product of hers I should try next time I was in the store. As I left she told me to have a 'wonderful' day; I could tell by the tone of her voice that she meant it. On my way out of the store I passed the Customer Service desk, where the store manager looked me straight in the eye and thanked me for coming in.
When I got home I decided the associates' higher ups needed to know what a good job their employees were doing, so I wrote a letter and emailed it to the store's corporate office. I hope the message filters back down to the store level.
This is my post for Betsy's Random Acts Of Kindness Adventure 2015.
Five years ago today: E-Cycle Me
Wow...I've had a nice employee help like that but not three in one day in the same place! Taking the time to look up the corporates and send a note was really nice. When there is such bad service and grumpiness everywhere, it's good to acknowledge the ones that go out of their way! Thanks for joining in, Kathy....it's always fun to see what you're up to!
ReplyDeleteMaybe if customers acknowledge good service we'd get more of it?
DeleteHow wonderful to receive this kind of service......now days, this can be rare. Glad you wrote that letter....our young people need to be recognized for the good that they do...
ReplyDeleteBlessing to you..... BTW....I would welcome your recipe!!
Shug, it wasn't so much a recipe as a discussion of cooking methods--baking vs pan frying.
DeleteWonderful to see such care and genuine willingness to help and be friendly and three times in a day . . . gosh.
ReplyDeleteI think you were absolutely right to email the 'higher ups' ~ they deserve a pat on the back at least for their kindness and your act was a beautiful RAK . . . :)
Eddie, I didn't make the connection that what the associates did was a act of kindness, too. Maybe it was a RAK for one of them!
DeleteSeems to be rare to have good customer service these days, so when it happens it's great that you acknowledged it. Visiting from Betsy's blog - enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteI agree that good customer service is (sadly) a rare occurrence.
DeleteIt's good you did that, hopefully you had the name of the worker as well. Having worked in retail for many years, it's usually only the complaints that come back down the pipe line.
ReplyDeleteAnd on another topic, when customers are given surveys and told to pick one from five, five being the best. TWO places that I've worked and one local store as well, only counted the fives.
If a store got a four, the four went into the bin. Never to be counted.
Happy weekend and boogie boogie.
Very interesting about the surveys. Yes, I was able to get the names of both employees and add them.
DeleteCool beans.
DeleteWe have one store that if an employee gets something nice written about them, then the company buys them lunch. Very neat.
I love. love. love. that you took the time and made the effort to appreciate those folks!! Awesome! On everybody's part! =) blessings ~ tanna
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks :-)
DeleteBeing appreciated is such a GIFT. I had a similar experience at my Credit Union today, you have inspired me to send a note to say more that just a Thank You. But a tangible way of saying it. So glad you have join in the RAK with Betsy.
ReplyDeleteWow! Thanks for letting me know I'm spreading the wealth.
Deletesounds like a great place to shop, even better that you left good feedback.
ReplyDeleteIt WAS a good place to shop; I'll certainly go back.
DeleteWhat a great experience for you and it was super nice of you to let the higher ups' in on the kindness of their employees. I'm sure it will stoke them so much that they will continue their kindness on a grander scale.
ReplyDeleteI hope so! It would be nice to think that my Random Act inspired someone even when that wasn't my intention.
DeleteI once zipped into a store to pick up a frozen turkey only to get home and see that it had freezer burn. Ugh. Picked my son up from preschool and shot back to the store with the turkey. When I gave my reason for returning it, the only available clerk refused to look me in the eye and wordlessly started marching back to the turkey section. Were we to stay put? Were we to follow? We followed and I heard myself say to my son "Isn't this delightful? What a charming man to make absolutely NO remark about our problem." I know the fellow heard me but he just stood by the turkeys and grunted. It was quite something. I took the turkey out of his hand, gently placed it back with its fellow freezer burn mates and said "Thank you. We won't be purchasing a turkey or anything from your store again." I've never been back.
ReplyDeleteSo refresing to read a good news story.
Wow! Remind me never to tick you off :-)
DeleteWhat a day brightener! It's really great that you took the time to write an email to let the higher ups know about the great people who took care of you. I wish Kelly would write to let the higher ups know too.
ReplyDelete