Customer Service What?

In an interesting economy, where most every business is fighting tooth and nail to maintain some sort of viability, what really sets one option apart from the other?

Is it price, service, value, or is it a combination of all of those things.  In my opinion, the most critical point in any business is the ability to provide exceptional customer service.  And quite obviously, or not so quite, is the idea that everyone is a customer.  Not just the people actually putting the physical dollars into our tills, its each and every person that makes the system tick.  As an employee, how can we be a person of value to those that we work for, and with.  And even more than that, how can we be in service to those that work for us?

What brings up this topic?  I was on a shopping excursion just the other day to a major electronics store.  Before my visit, I had called ahead to ensure the product I was in search of was available.  Speaking to a very pleasant gentlemen over the phone, he was able to find the product and ensure it was available.

Jumping into the car and driving the 30 minutes or so to the store, I was excited about the ability to zip in, grab my item, and get back with my purchase prior to a meeting that I required it for.

Oh my goodness.  I must tell you that I was floored when I walked in.  I walked back to the department where my product was (a couple of computer items for my Mac) and asked a young man if he could show me where the item was.  He walked past me to the area without much of a hello or hi.  No biggie, I definitely am not one that needs much coddling.

As we approach the area where my item is located, he grabs an item that is not what I requested and pushed it at me.  After looking at it, I let him know that it wasn't what I was looking for.  He grumpily told me that it was all they had.  After letting him know a gentlemen on the phone had found exactly what I was looking for, he looked at me and told me, well, that is all I know about these items and stood there with his backed now turned to me looking down the aisle.  Again, no big deal.

I thanked him for his assistance and he sauntered off.  Upon his departure, I looked through the product section he had taken me too, and found the part.  Also needing other products that he didn't bother to ask me if there was anything else I needed, I again walked up to the customer service desk for the area.

When he saw me standing at the desk, he came over to me and said is there something else you needed.  I told him I appreciated him directing me to the section for the initial part I needed, but I would like to have someone else assist me from this point forward.

He got very defensive, and asked why was it that I didn't want him to help him.  I let him know again that I appreciated his assistance in showing me the section, but also let him know that based on his comments as to his limited knowledge on the topics I would prefer to work with someone more knowledgeable.  At this point, he proceeded to tell me that he had done everything he could to help me.  Again, I thanked him, and let him know I was choosing to work with someone else.  I am the customer and that is my choice.  He then began to argue with me and tell me that he was very good at his job and that he thought it was ridiculous that I was asking to work with someone else.

At this point, I just had to say, "Really (refer to blog from yesterday), I'm done speaking with you."

And to my luck, the gentlemen who spoke with me on the phone was standing there and helped facilitate the rest of my transactions.

The moral of the story.  Service is king and every business is service related.  If you don't provide it, then don't expect to survive.  The store I was at was a large chain and I'm sure they will not skip a beat with this young mans service inadequacies, but I hope for his sake he has the ability to turn over a new leaf and find the key to success is to help enough people get what they want, and through that, you will get everything you want (Zig Ziglar Paraphrase)!