The Spirit of Customer Service | Agh! My Wallet’s Gone!
July 10, 2008
As one who has a passion for Customer Service, I found myself as the recipient of The Spirit of Customer Service this past week. What a story!
I was in Chicago to speak to Accurate Perforating at their 2 day event. My program was to be at the Wildfire Restaurant. A cab dropped me off in front of the restaurant at 4:15. I wanted to get there early to set up and go over the location. I paid the driver, grabbed all of my materials, and slid out of the cab. Off he went, faster than Mario Andretti. I groped for my wallet, only to find it MISSING! Agggggghh! Is there a worse feeling in the world? The cab, reaching 60 mph in 1.8 seconds, was long gone.
I immediately went through the litany of things I share in “How to Build a Positive Attitude and KEEP the D a r n Thing.” I’m serious - I actually DO the things I talk about to people (!). As one who always tries to spin humor in any situation, I said to myself, “I would rather be standing here in a pink polka dotted Speedo with my wallet, than standing here with clothes on without my wallet.”
Oh, what a mess. The whole evening had changed. Now I had to take measures to try to get the wallet back and all the joy that goes with that process. I stumbled into the Wildfire Restaurant. They weren’t even open yet, but the head greeters, Harold and John, immediately sensed I was “discombobulated.” I spewed out my whole situation and they reassured me that many times the cab comes right back with wallets, cell phones, the works. They made me feel like my crisis was the most important thing, even though their phone was ringing constantly with reservation requests.They helped me with cab company numbers. I couldn’t remember the name of the company as my receipt was in my wallet (if I ever claim to speak on “Remembering Details,” ignore me).
I wandered into the side room that I would be speaking in later in the evening. Alan and Ana, who were serving the room, were incredibly supportive to me as I flailed away in Operation Recover Wallet.
Then, it was time to call … the wife. To make a long story short, her basic response was, “FIND THE WALLET!”
“Nancy, there are 5000 cabs in Chicago and over 35 companies.”
“FIND THE WALLET!” There wasn’t a lot of gray area in her response.
I hung up (not on her, but to continue calling the cab companies).For some reason, I decided to call my office voice mail. Might as well, I had called everyone else. Here is what I heard: “Hello, Mr. Adams, my name is Amir.I just found your wallet in the street. I actually work at the Wildfire. I’ve got your wallet. You can come by here.”
Amir had found the wallet by the curb as he was walking across the street to work. His only thought was to look for identification to call the person that had lost it and then go about his business of being the best waiter he could be for his customers.
Well, I ran back in the restaurant and yelled, “Where’s Amir?!” John at the front desk pointed me in his direction and I darted back that way! He saw me and immediately figured I must be the poor sap that was walletless. He walked over and gave it to me. I gave him a bear hug. Forget handshaking. He deserved a bear hug!
I knew I had a $20 and some other bills in there so I reached in and grabbed the $20 to give him. He wouldn’t take it. “I just see that as part of my job, Mr. Adams,” he said. “I was glad to find it for you.”
This young man was first class the whole way. Later, I thought I would recognize him in my Talk. I thought I would bring him in at the end of my Talk, share the story, and let the Accurate Perforating leaders applaud him. When I pitched that idea to Amir, he politefully declined. “7:30 is a very busy time for me with my customers,” he said humbly. “It would be hard to leave them even for a few minutes.”
As the evening went on, I later learned that John and Harold at the front desk had called countless cab companies trying to locate my wallet, even though they were getting reservations calls constantly. Another worker told me those two had been doing that for me.
I shared the whole Wallet story at the end of my Stoke the Fire Within presentation. The Accurate Perforating people beamed. One fellow did actually playfully ask, “That happened in CHICAGO?! Your wallet was actually returned?!”
When I deliver “The Spirit of Customer Service” it is people like Amir that make me believe in the topic. Yes, customer service has been declining for years across the board in some ways, but to say it’s not alive and well at places like the Wildfire Restaurant in Chicago and with many other places and people is wrong. People like young Amir and the Wildfire Restaurant stoke the fire within when it comes to Customer Service!
About the Author:
Charlie Adams is an authority on Customer Service and Peak Performance. As an award winning Television Anchor, Charlie interviewed hundreds of high achievers over two decades. He shares their insights with audiences across the country.
Charlie's "Stoke the Fire Within" program kindles the flames of excellence within organizations. His "Spirit of Customer Service" equips people with the passion and tools to build loyal customers. In 2008, Charlie will be sharing his message in such locations as Philadelphia, Chicago, Durango,CO and Fairbanks, AK.
He is the author of "Stoke the Fire Within: A Guide to Igniting your Life"
For more information on Charlie's programs please visit http://www.stokethefirewithin.com/ or email charlie@StokeTheFireWithin.com
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