Mastering Customer Service

by Philip M. Anderson
There comes a time in any business, I don’t really care what type it is, that you have a pivotal encounter with a customer.  During this encounter it will be decided, by the customer, if you are a company they want to do business with in the future or not.  One never knows when these encounters will take place or how often.  They don’t announce themselves.  They are most cerainly not on the calender.  In fact, during many of these encounters, neither the customer nor the actual company representative know it’s a pivotal customer encounter until well after the encounter.

A pivotal customer encounter happens when there is an opportunity to make a customer happy outside the normal, typical parameters of a transaction or desired transaction.  This happened to me when I went to purchase a gift certificate for my significant other for her birthday at a place called Bling, a local Nail Salon and Spa.  For some strange reason they close at 3 PM on Saturday’s and it was around 5 PM.  Their sign said they were open and somebody was sitting at the reception desk.  The door, however, was locked.  Not a good start.  (If you’re closed, have the “Closed” sign up.)

The lady behind the desk indicated through mouthed words that they were, indeed, closed.  I, in like fashion, implied I only needed to purchase a gift certificate.  She nodded and went somewhere.  She returned, opened the door and our conversation went something like this:

Me:           Hi, would it be possible to get a gift certificate?

Her:         I’m sorry, the girl that does gift certificates left around 3, when we close, and the computer’s closed up and everything.

Me:          Really?  Man, I had no idea you closed at 3 and your sign says that you’re open.  Her birthday is tomorrow; I know, I SHOULD have done this earlier.  I’ll write a check if it will help.  Isn’t there any way we can do this now?  Please?

Her:         <slight pause>  Yeah, I think we can find a way to do this.  C’mon in.

And THAT was the pivotal customer encounter for this person at that time.  I found out a couple of days later she is the owner of the salon.  It shouldn’t have even been a question.  Now, was I wrong in not planning earlier?  Of course.  But, had she not sold me (key word:  SOLD) the gift certificate because they were technically closed I would never have come back and she wouldn’t have the money IN HAND that I gave her for services that will be rendered in the future.

Now, let’s say that nobody was in there and the door was locked.  Would I have felt the same way?  No, not at all.  But when there is somebody there and you’ve been acknowledged then it is necessary, in my opinion, to still serve your customer.

Not only will I go back to buy things there in the future, I will also tell people about my experience AND they are getting their name mentioned in this widespread, ever poplular blog that reaches millions and millions of people worldwide.

This person absolutely passed with flying colors in this pivotal customer encounter.  By doing things like this ALL the time it helps ensure the culture of the business and company to always serve their customers.

Until next time, be sure to do the right thing for the right reason and the money will continue to come.  Expect the most and give the most.

aphilip369@aol.com