I recently heard a story about a Paradise Bakery & Café general manager who earned the nickname “Cowbell Sandy” from her adoring staff.

It seems that a couple of years ago she started an incentive program to increase add-on sales of bottled water, cookies, and other high margin items. She worked with vendors to sponsor the prizes, ranging from iTunes gift cards to iPods.

I want you to go to a pet store. Not just any pet store, though. Go to the Petland store on Bethel Road in Columbus, Ohio. At this store, you can buy just about any kind of pet food or pet accessory you might imagine. Do you know what else you can do at this pet store?

I’m not kidding. I recently had an X-ray at Riverside Health Center in Columbus, Oh. We were checking my hand to look for evidence of arthritis. Thankfully, my hand contains nothing but boring, normal bones. My experience at this top-notch health center was everything BUT boring and normal, however. I would even classify it as kind of fun.

Thanks to Tanisha.

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Make customer service fun

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

I was reading a book by Stevie Ray and I came across a perfect example of how to have fun while serving a customer. And the example is from an organization that’s not exactly known for having a zany culture: The Minnesota Department of Revenue.

Here’s the example:

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Put fun in your work (and include your customers)

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

One night my wife and I met some friends at the Mall of America where we enjoyed, among others things, some ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery.  We don’t eat much ice cream but we like this Cold Stone location because it’s always fun. In fact, as you line up, waiting your turn, you see a sign that says: “The fun starts here.”

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Enjoy your job, your co-workers and your customers.

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

I’ve spoken about customer service all over the USA, in Europe and Asia. When I ask people what they like about their jobs one of the most common answers is: helping people.

There are studies that suggest the good feeling we get from helping others is not too different from what we feel when we do highly pleasurable things. At least, that’s how our brains feel about it. I mentioned this to a friend who is a doctor. He agreed and said there is a physiological basis for this. (Then he said several big words that were well beyond my vocabulary.)

Recently I taught a seminar in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Since neither of us had been there before I brought my favorite traveling buddy (also known as my wife, Debbie). She’s always game for a new adventure, especially if it involves travel.

Here are some pictures from our journey you might find fun. First, let’s start with the plane ride because, honestly, it was traumatic. Now I understand why they use a transporter in Star Trek. Much better way to travel!

Too often we get so busy and focused managing our businesses that we forget life is supposed to be fun. I’m as guilty of this as anyone. Running a business is serious work so we seem justified by keeping our noses to the grindstones. Unfortunately, when we do that we often forget to enjoy our businesses and our work.