Over the weekend my family and I went to the mall to do some shopping. We went to Macy’s. When it came time for us to put all of our items on the counter, I made some small talk and an in-the-moment joke. The associate, Hank, laughed (a genuine laugh).
I then handed Hank a coupon. The coupon had some restrictions he had to read. As Hank was reading it, he remarked there are so many coupons in the store, employees are sent to a two-day couponing course. Hank shared he went earlier in the year. I responded incredulously, “come on. no way.” He beamed a huge smile and said “oh yes.” He continued, “in fact, the course is so exhausting, they give the students a 20-page manual. In fact, sometimes the instructor has to read the manual himself,” Hank remarked.
He was telling us all about the coupon course for at least two minutes.
Finally, I just had to ask again, “are you pulling my leg?” With a straight face, Hank said, “yes.” My family and I laughed.
On the way to lunch, we all talked about how nice he was and what a pleasure it was shopping at the store.
In just a few minutes, Hank made me feel good. He spoke to me as a person. I can go to any retailer at any number of malls nearby. Now, when I am thinking about where to buy x, y, or z, I will think about Hank. He has increased customer loyalty, the potential for repeat shopping, and the potential for referrals.
What are your customer service teams doing to make visitors and telephone callers feel good about doing business with you?
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The above story is an example of a what we call a “Today Story.” An experience that happens to you that has low to medium impact on your personal or professional life. They are perfect for kicking off a weekly meeting, breaking bread for lunch, or motivating a team member. As with all stories told in the workplace, it must have two characteristics – 1) Clear business message, your lesson learned and 2) Specific call-to-action. During our training and workshops, we teach attendees how to turn their own personal experiences into engaging and inspiring Today Stories, Purpose Stories, and Signature Stories. Learn more or contact us here. Additional options include presentation services, story coaching, and communication services.
Photography Source: Pexels
