Geeking out on customer service
Two recent experiences with restaurants at the opposite end of the dining market had one thing in common - extraordinary customer service. It's worth taking a few moments to appreciate.
Herons at The Umstead Hotel and Spa is a James Beard award-winner and one of the best restaurants I've been to anywhere. It was the perfect choice to celebrate our daughter's recent 18th birthday. The experience started when I called to make the reservation. I was asked if we would be interested in the chef's tasting menu (yes!) and whether we had any dietary restrictions (also yes...we don't eat pork or shellfish). We were told that the chef would happily be able to accommodate us. Compare that to some fine dining restaurants that insist on no substitutions to any items on their menu...
When we were seated at our table, our server greeted us by name and shared that their team had already discussed our dietary restrictions during their pre-service huddle. Over the next 3 hours, the service was relaxed and friendly, combined with a meticulous attention to detail. Each of the 5 courses was presented with a thoughtful description of the ingredients and preparation, and the staff was more than happy to answer questions and engage in playful conversation along the way. We felt completely at ease, never neglected nor hurried. We were as welcome as we would have been eating at the home of a close friend. Our daughter was over the moon, and so were we.
At the other end of the restaurant market sits Chick-fil-A Restaurants, long known for offering far better service than their fast food competitors. Employees regularly respond to a thank you with their signature, "My pleasure." During the pandemic, when service suffered at many businesses struggling just to keep the doors open, Chick-fil-A raised the ante by reinventing the drive-thru experience. Live humans standing alongside cars at drive-thru lines replaced microphones and speakers at impersonal ordering stations. Talking to a friendly employee replaced shouting at a box. They managed to create a more personal experience while dramatically increasing efficiency.
My most recent trip through a Chick-fil-A drive-thru offered a great example. After taking my order, the smiling associate asked how I liked the manual transmission in my car. The exchange lasted only a few seconds before he moved onto the next customer in line, and yet it was enough to establish a connection. He was a car guy, just like me. In hundreds of thousands of these brief interactions every day, Chick-fil-A manages to make their customers feel welcome. Even more impressive...they manage to do this across a franchise business model where the vast majority of locations are owned by independent franchisees.
Herons and Chick-fil-A continue to prove that extraordinary service can thrive in any business, at any price point. So take a moment to appreciate other businesses that stand out for their exceptional customer service, and ask yourself what you might be able to apply to your business. The answers might surprise you.
