A Great Customer Service Story

This morning, as I was preparing for work, I have checked my email and found this in my inbox. Since I always look for some inspiration to last me the whole day, I clicked the link and found this story about Johny, a bagger in a grocery with a down syndrome. Needless to say, it gave me the strength I need for the day.

I hope it inspires you too. Read it, it's definitely worthwhile.


(Excerpt from the email.)

Dear Friend,

Once in a great while you'll read something that
bypasses the brain and goes straight to the heart.
The Simple Truths of Service is that...and then some.

Since we published this little book almost 2 years ago,
it has become a "customer service classic", and has
been used by thousands of companies all over the
world to create "customer enthusiasm" in their
organizations.

It's an unforgettable true story about
a young man with Downs Syndrome who changed
the culture of a grocery store by being creative and
giving customers more than they expect. In the back
of the book Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz share
ten short stories about the most important things you
need to know about service and I'd like to share the
last chapter titled: The Final Truth, that was written
by Barbara. Enjoy!

Great service comes from the heart. It has to come from the inside out. You cannot mandate it. You can't threaten, reward, or coerce people to care. You can only awaken the desire and then give them the permission and encouragement to make it come alive in their work.

Simply said, if people don't have in their hearts the desire to serve and make a difference for others, they will not give great service.

Johnny's idea wasn't nearly as innovative as it was loving. During my speech, I challenged everyone in the audience to go home and think about something they could do to make their customers feel special. Johnny thought about that idea and framed it in a way he could understand. He didn't bother reading management books or looking for the trend of the month; he searched inside himself for a solution and what he found was real. It came from his heart and that's the part you can't pretend.

At the core of great customer service lies the heart of each employee. When I work with an organization, I often walk around and ask people, "What is your work?" What they almost always tell me is a job description or a job title. Yet we are all so much more than that. We can bring our hearts to work with us! When you think about the question - "What is your work?" - think about this:

How is what you do every day making someone's life better?

That is your very important work!

Johnny brought his heart to his job. He focused on what he could do in his daily work to make his customers feel special and their lives a little better.

No matter what our job or position may be, we each possess a unique understanding of this world and have our own ideas and gifts to share. Our truest gift, like the one Johnny shared, can be found in our hearts if we look deeply enough and listen closely. When the heart is in the right place, the ego gets out of the way. That's when great service comes shining through.

Just click on the link below to watch our 3 minute movie about Johnny...and prepare to be inspired!

http://www.stservic emovie.com/