Customer Service Post

I'm sitting here watching the news announce the much anticipated opening of the IKEA and all I can think is "great another giant store that will inevitably compete for the best price and worst customer service".
I'm not at all excited.
I am however excited that the lovely, family owned Chinese restaurant here in town will celebrate their 10th anniversary in May. They have the "BEST" customer service. Not because they give free stuff away or because the restaurant is the prettiest ever, because neither of these would be true. They do however, greet you with a smile, remember your favorite food, talk to you about their family, serve delicious food in quality containers and package it specifically so that it won't spill. They also work VERY hard just to make it and provide for their family I just can't help but appreciate that.
So check back in May for a special photo shoot to celebrate with them! And if you are ever in Brookville stop by The Great Wall and visit with Candy.

I did it!

I needed to get a few things from the store and I didn't go to to Walmart! I loaded the kids up and we went to Rite-aid here in town. When we pulled up Mason said "hey this is where my friend works!" Which is really a funny story because wherever we go, Mason makes a friend.

The lady he was refering to is a Manager we met while shopping there almost 5 years ago and her name is Nadene. Mason was type of baby that would go berserk in a store! He would SCREAM the entire time. It was so very dreadful. One time Nadene saw me in a state of distress and walked over and starting talking to Mason and trying to help him calm down. Well over the years they have formed a friendship and he really looks forward to seeing her.

We were in the store for no more than a few minutes and Nadene came over, with a smile and friendly attitude (as always). They spent time talking as we shopped, and when I needed something from behind the counter she gladly offered to go get it for me! There was no attitude, it was so refreshing.

While I was there, Nadene's coworker came over talk and turned out she was a photographer! We networked for a bit and hopefully I'll be hearing from her soon. Then the clerk that was checking me out was friendly enough to start up a conversation about her little boy who is turning one soon and she asked for a business card because she was looking for someone to photograph him! It was so nice not to be rushed blankly through the line and actually meet some really cool people and maybe even a new customer!
I love how the whole experience stemmed from not going to Walmart!

Ok so the pros and cons:
Pro: nice, friendly service
Pro: Met some really cool people
Pro: Networked
Pro: It was so close to the house
Pro: Left with a great feeling!

Con: I did spend a bit more

Conclusion: The great service so far exceeded the extra few dollars I spent that I didn't even think about the cost difference until now! I would gladly spend more for this type of service!

P.S. Nadene if you are reading this, I must tell you that you are so great at your job and you are a really great person! Thanks for spending time to get to know my kids!

Yeah! A customer service plus

Yes, I have already encountered a great example of good, maybe even great customer service.
I had to run to our bank in town, so I packed the boys up and we headed out. The teller, who is always pleasant and helpful, completed our transaction with a smile. Then she asked if I had one or two with me today (kids). So out with my receipt came two pieces of gum and stickers. Mason rolled down he window and shouted THANK YOU! This woman always does this and the boys love it! I must say I do as well. It's not about the free stuff, it's that she goes above and beyond good customer service. It just makes me smile.
Ok this is another good example.
We went through the drive-thru at Mcdonalds here in town. Immediately when I heard the voice over the intercom I knew who it was. She is always pleasant and asks me if "that will be all, and is your screen correct" before she completes my order. When we pay she always passes out cookies to the boys. Again not about the free stuff, because we all know that those cookies are back there for all the drive-thru employees to hand out. How many actually pass them out? Just her, seriously this entire year she is the only one that I've had hand them out. So then we pull up and the kid making the drinks, takes a napkin and wipes off the lids before he hands them out to me! I know, it's such a small thing, but it sure made a difference to me.
So I asked to speak to the manager and I told him how big of a difference it made for those two people to be as pleasant as they were. I think it made his day too.
So YEAH! My belief in customer service is on the mend!

Customer Service Rant

Currently on my worst list....(drum roll please)
1. Walmart
2. (close second) Click Camera

Walmart

Are we (customers) just not important anymore? Is the money that rolls like water, out of our account every week, just not relevant? I think these stores believe, or maybe even KNOW, we will inevitably return next week to load up our carts, deal with sales associates that continue to have little to no knowledge about the product, use the self checkout, and bag out own groceries! Where is the smile from the greeter? Where is the friendly, knowledgeable, sales associate? In every word that person is missing all together. I want to know what happened to the service from these stores? If we are researching the product on our own, checking out and bagging the product all on our own, what is the service we are getting? What is it, that will distinguish this shopping experience from the next? What overwhelming quality will make me choose this store verses the competition?
Is it all price driven? Is the savings really worth it? I am really asking myself these questions and challenging myself. I want to know why I keep going back when I continue to be disappointed.
I wonder if I would pay a fee for a membership to a store if I knew when I walked in that the store associates would know the product and the arrangement of the store? If when I asked for help they would do so with a smile? Would it be worth it if a bagger stood at the end of the isle and carefully bagged my bread and eggs separately? What if I was asked if I needed help out to my car, (which would be nice, considering I usually have both kids with me).
I'm on a mission...
During the next few shopping excursions I am not going to darken Walmart's door. I am taking my business else where and I'm going to blog about it. I am on a mission to discover if customer service can really beat a great price. It seems now days the two do not go hand in hand. I will be comparing the cost of each excursion and the service rating. So stay tuned for my conclusion.

Also, because of lack of time I will not even begin to describe my experience at Click camera, but if you want to know which store location just email me and I will gladly give you that information.