What Would You Do If?

Here's an interesting question for my weekly series of "What Would You Do If?"

Let's face it.. We've all experienced good and bad customer service experiences. Being in the retail business, I am keenly aware of how to provide good customer service and since I've worked in this company, my awareness of customer service has increased while shopping, eating in restaurants, and being helped by service companies, such as repairmen, appliance companies, etc.

Of course we all look for those shops that provide the best customer service around. We are often greeted by familiar employees by name if we frequent these companies often and feel important when visiting. But, I wonder, how often do you actually say "Thank You" to the employees, the companies that employ these nice people that serve you with a smile?

Years ago I wouldn't hesitate pulling out the 'poison pen' to write an ugly letter about a horrible customer service experience I had, but then realized that I never wrote a 'Thank you" letter or note to those that truly gave me an awesome experience. I've since changed my ways and will say thank you in any form possible for a great service experience. Did you know that there are many companies that reward their employees for getting a 'Nice" letter. For example, my company gives monetary "Nice Awards" to any employee who receives a nice letter, email, phone call! Yes, it's true! There are some companies that thrive on your "nice" letters, thank yous and awesome experiences!

My question for you is.. What would you do if you were on a shopping trip and received excellent customer service in one store where an employee helped you locate an item you were searching for, explained that you could probably save money by getting another brand that offered the same quality. Then you went out to lunch afterwards and received a horrendous experience, starting with an unpleasant seat, an ill-mannered waitress, slow service, a water glass that had an old lipstick print on it, a steak that was under cooked, a fork that had the remnants of someones meal baked on it, you had to repeatedly look for your waitress as she disappeared for your entire meal, your bill was incorrect and your waitress was not nice while you were trying to explain the error..

Would you be more inclined to write a nice letter to the store that provided you such great service or a poison pen note to the restaurant that treated you like an imposition?