Now that’s NOT what I’m talking about.

I can’t get the concept of delighting and surprising my customers, guests, or members out of my thoughts. Every day as a customer I hear how I’m going to be delighted or surprised. Just yesterday the message recording from a vendor went on and on about how important I was to them, about excellent customer service being the core of their value statement, how I would receive premium service from the next available customer service operator and that my wait was estimated at six minutes. Later in the day I was reading classified employment ads and a hospitality company is using as their marketing tag “committed to delighting customers every day”. I’ve visited a number of this chain’s outlets. Trust me when I say, I’m not a difficult customer. Life is too short to get my boxers all up in a bind over a meal out. But you can also trust me when I say, I’ve never been delighted by this company’s product or their customer service.

When I talk about delighting and surprising customers, I don’t think we have to go to some obscure level of attention. I think we need to simply treat others as we would like to be treated. I’ve had to occasion to go to a bar where bar snacks are served at the actual bar, but are not provided at the tables. I love it when my server brings a bowl of snacks to my table or at least asks if they could bring some to the table. When I’m in line at the hardware checkout, I love it when the owner/manager opens the second register and tells his customers that he’d gladly take care of them. When I go to pick up an order at a local company, if I have more than one bag, a clerk always at least offers to carry the packages to the car for me.

What I’m NOT talking about is corporate mumbo jumbo marketing tags with no substance. Don’t tell me you care and then send my call to a non-English speaking rep after I wait 2 minutes listening to your propaganda and then to crappy loud music for six more minutes. Anyone can put that crap on the letterhead or job posting. What I AM talking about is genuine care for their fellow human being, and taking care of one another. That delights me. Let me put it another way. If you’re gonna show up to the dance, don’t stand there and tell me about your years of dance lessons, be prepared to dance!