Don’t Miss The Easy Opportunities!This is a short article, but it may just be the most important one I’ve ever written.
My kids and I recently stopped at a donut shop on our way to church. We stepped up to the counter and placed our order. As I reached for my wallet, I discovered it wasn’t there. If you’ve ever done that, you know how I felt. Now multiply that feeling times ten for the “I’m sorry kids you, can’t have your donuts because dad was a bonehead” factor.
I sheepishly told the cashier (a manager, no less) that I had left my wallet at home. His response? “Oh, I’ve done that, too.” I thought for a second that my new found kindred spirit might pull through for me. Nope. Wishful thinking.
“I’m sorry, we’ll have to come back.”
“Well, you could order for the kids, run home, and come back.”
“That won’t work. We live 20 minutes away.”
“Oh, ok.”
Forget for a minute that this guy just asked me to leave my kids unattended at a donut shop. What really amazed me was that he completely failed to capture a customer for life for the cost of a double chocolate donut.
What would I have done? I would have sprung for the breakfast in a heartbeat. It would have cost less than ten bucks. Where I come from, that’s pretty cheap karma.
Opportunity doesn’t always knock. Sometimes it loses its wallet. Don’t ever miss an easy opportunity like this.
Other articles you might like:
- Why Does Jay Leno Like Subway?
- How to behave so your customers will too
- In Customer Service the Little Things are Big
- Maybe he will… Maybe he won’t… WON’T
- What Hat are You Wearing?
Completely agree Mark. Helping a customer in need when you will incur no immediate benefit is the best way to win a customer for life. The word-of-mouth advertising alone is worth much more than the effort or expense spent during the encounter.