Don't Charge for Customer Service!
Customer service is a benefit that salespeople provide to their customers as a way of thanking them for their patronage and business. We often talk about quality customer service as being the only thing that separates one salesperson from another and that high quality customer service is always a key in the competitive industry that we work in. Customer service is not something that should have to be PAID for! I hope most of you read that last sentence and were appalled at what you just read; I know that was my reaction when the following happened.
I recently went to dinner with my family and we had a large party with a number of children under the age of eight. This particular restaurant served large portions, which is great, especially considering the quality and the price. A number of people in our party decided to order one plate, get a second plate for their child and spilt the meal in half. Seems logical to me. The waiter informed us that they could do that but would have to charge five dollars for the second plate. What? Believe me, it is not the five dollars that bothers me. It is the point that these are small children, and the restaurant did not have a children’s menu.
I understand that every business exists to make a profit, but do not try to make five dollars tonight when it will cost you more tomorrow. Any business, especially a service business, such as a restaurant survives on its ability to attract repeat and referral customers. How many people from my party do you think are telling their friends and family about the wonderful food and great atmosphere of that night? Now how many do you think are telling those same people about the five dollars for the second plate?
Professional salespeople provide quality customer service because it is good for business today and tomorrow. It is not something that we put on a bill as a part of the final ticket and that is what happened here. Sure, they made their extra twenty bucks on that night but they also probably lost hundreds in future business. The sad part is it really was a great environment with good food. It just drives home the point that customer service does matter. Do not charge for it!
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