Below are three true stories that illustrate the memorable customer service behavior: deliver service heroics. In order for us to have a common understanding of what it means to deliver service heroics, consider this definition: Going beyond the job duties that are expected of the employee.

1.) Earlier this year, I worked with a client who shared a story about how one of his front desk agents, Shannon, had established a genuine rapport with a repeat guest over many months. The pair laughed together about many things, including the guest’s own self-deprecating comments about his old age. For instance, on occasion he would jokingly refer to his need for Geritol. Unbeknownst to him, Shannon recalled their conversation and had a small bottle of Geritol waiting for him in his guest room when he returned and checked back into the hotel. Not only did Shannon’s gesture put a big smile on the guest’s face, it also reinforced the value she placed on their relationship.

Here’s an excerpt from a letter sent by the guest to the general manager of the hotel: “I recognize great customer service skills and your Shannon is a gem… She has made my stays at your hotel very memorable and I guarantee that, because of her, whenever I return to visit our branch in your wonderful city, I will stay at your hotel. I will also recommend your hotel to my associates, comrades, and even competitors.”

2.) A few years ago, my wife and I made plans to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. I’d made arrangements for my wife’s anniversary ring to be delivered to the hotel in time for our arrival. As it happened, there was a snow storm that day in Denver and we ended up canceling our plans to stay at the hotel.

I contacted the Tiffany & Co. store in Denver with my dilemma and my salesperson, Christine, assured me that she would take care of it. What happened next was legendary. The store arranged for one of its security guards to drive two hours south of the store to Colorado Springs where he located the UPS truck that carried the ring, provided the paperwork necessary to claim the package, and then drove it another hour and a half to our house.

He arrived at 9:00 pm and wouldn’t even accept a gratuity for his extra effort. Of course, I wrote Tiffany’s president about the service heroics and committed to “never purchase a significant piece of jewelry from a jeweler other than Tiffany & Co.” And I meant it.

3.) I recently saw a television commercial for Angie’s list, a company that pre-screens service companies for quality and reliability. In it, a customer phoned her plumber who was working on a repair at her house. She notified him that she was running late and was concerned about her little dog, Molly. Joe, the plumber, then did something unexpected. In the customer’s words: “Joe patiently paraded her up and down the street, sacrificing his time and dignity (he was a large man and Molly was an itty-bitty terrier) until her business was done. That’s why he’s the only plumber I’ll ever use.”

You see, when a hotel desk clerk surprises you with a bottle of Geritol, when a jewelry store security guard delivers a package to your front door in the snow, and when a plumber takes your dog for a walk, they are going beyond the job duties that are expected of them. They are delivering the unexpected—the memorable.

And they are reinforcing the personal importance of their customers. That is, the value these customers bring to the business through personal spending, loyalty, referrals, etc. In every one of the above examples, the customer cemented the relationship with a commitment to repurchase.

So, whenever you have an opportunity to spend a little more time with a customer or, in some other way, perform beyond the limitations of your job description, do it. It will be refreshing for you and memorable for your customers!

Language, it seems, has become pretty casual in many customer service settings. I’ve had waiters refer to me as “man” and hear “no problem” from frontline employees, as well as their supervisors, in a variety of situations.

We can all think of alternatives to referring to a customer as “man” so I won’t belabor that, but what about “no problem” in response to a customer’s request or sign of appreciation.

Many participants who attend my seminars don’t immediately understand why saying “no problem” to a customer should be avoided. It’s understandable. Most people are comfortable with saying “no problem” rather than “you’re welcome” after receiving a request for service or compliment.

“No problem” really means “No problem for me.” It means “I did it because it did not cause me a problem. I served you because it did not interfere with me.” That is very different from “you’re welcome” which means “You are welcome to my service to you.”

Besides “you’re welcome” here are some other alternatives to saying “no problem” in response to a customer’s request for service or sign of appreciation:

• “My pleasure.”
• “Right away.”
• “Absolutely.”
• “Certainly.”
• “Of course.”
• “Definitely.”

Responses like these send a message that you are enthusiastic and genuinely interested. They demonstrate confidence and conviction. Responses like these convey a sense that you are engaged and truly want to serve the customer.

And the negative associations don’t end with “No problem.” The use of seemingly neutral words can also make a big difference.

Using a hotel example, imagine the employee is conveying to the guest when his or her hotel room will be available.

Consider the statements below. What differences do you see in them?

• “I will have a room ready for you in five minutes.”
• “I will have the room ready for you in five minutes.”
• “I will have your room ready for you in five minutes.”

Although only one word has been changed, each statement has a different emotional impact. The first conveys nothing definite: It could be any room, just as it could be anyone’s room. The second implies that at the least, a specific room has been allocated to the guest. But notice that control of it has not yet begun to pass. The third example says that not only has a room been identified but, in effect, it already belongs to the guest. The only issue remaining is how long it will take to have it ready.

Suppose you were the guest in the above scenario and the employee had said “a few minutes” instead of “five minutes.” What effect would that have had? From the employee’s point of view, very little. From the guest’s point of view, however, perhaps a lot. Five minutes is objective. It conditions the customer’s expectation of time and provides a clue to how proficient the experience will be.

Words convey meaning. Employees must be made aware of the (sometimes subtle and other times significant) impact that their choice of words has on how customers are made to feel (important or unimportant) and the positive impression they will remember—or the indifferent transaction they will soon forget.

How about you? What are some communication faux pas you regularly experience as a customer?

I had worked a full day in Washington, D.C. and then flew to Detroit for a presentation the following morning. I arrived late at the airport in Detroit and as I exited the terminal with my bags at around midnight, was confronted by a number of aggressive limo drivers.

I passed by several drivers and cars that issued subtle (or not so subtle) indicators that I may regret accepting their service. A few yards further, I was pleasantly surprised by an immaculately dressed limousine driver whose Lincoln Town Car was spotless. I confirmed the fare to the Renaissance Center downtown, handed him my bags, and entered the back seat through a door he held open.

When he returned to the driver’s seat and began to pull away from the curb, he asked me if I’d care for a chilled bottle of water.  Pleasantly surprised, I accepted.  He then asked me what type of music I was interested in. I told him that my taste in music was all over the board but that, at this late hour and with a 30 minute ride ahead of us, I’d appreciate something mellow.

He said, “Here, let me surprise you.” And I nodded off to Tony Bennett singing Because of You…

When we arrived at the hotel, the hand-off to the hotel’s staff was just as seamless and professional as my reception had been at the airport.

Naturally, I rewarded his attention to detail, professionalism, and memorable customer service. Like most customers who are pleasantly surprised by the service they receive, I tipped more than I would have ordinarily and I requested a card in order to schedule a return trip to the airport with him the following day.

How can you distinguish your business from the competition? What can you do to make an impression by pleasantly surprising your customers?

There is a restaurant in my neighborhood named Wine Experience Café & World Cellar. This restaurant is unique in that two-thirds of the space is used as a bar area and dining room and the other third is used as a liquor and wine store.

The owner, Eldon Larson, had a career in wine sales prior to opening Wine Experience Café two years ago. His knowledge of wines, grapes, regions, etc. is extensive and he’s always willing to share and educate in order to elevate a guest’s meal or wine purchase from a transaction to—as the restaurant’s name implies—an experience!

Earlier this year, I took a friend of mine out to dinner for his birthday at Eldon’s restaurant and Eldon stopped by our table to check-in with us regarding the quality of the food and service. Sensing by our questions that we were especially interested in wine, Eldon pulled up a chair and asked our server to bring over a flight of three unique wines. If you’re not familiar with wine flights, they are simply a variety of wines served as smaller, perhaps three-ounce, pours.

Eldon expertly paired the wines with the food we’d ordered. When they arrived at the table, Eldon led us in tasting the wines. He asked questions of us pertaining to what we noticed in the colors of the wines, the scents we were picking up when nosing the wines, and what tastes we were detecting when sipping the wines. He explained the acidity, the texture, and the finish of the wines and, again, moved the meal from transactional to experiential.

After Eldon had left our table, another diner commented, “You two must be pretty important for the owner to spend so much time at your table.” Shawn and I laughed. Then she said knowingly, “Wait until you get the bill.”

And you know what? She was right. Eldon doesn’t give wine away. He sells wine. But more than that, he fulfills experiences. If our number one priority had been price, we wouldn’t have been at Wine Experience Café to begin with. Yes, people are looking for value (in any economy) but not at the expense of fulfilling an experience.

Let’s fast-forward four weeks or so to last week when I stopped by the retail side of the establishment to inquire about a bottle of wine, Earthquake Cabernet. Although Eldon did not stock the wine, he took the time to look the bottle up and told me that he would place a call to his distributor to find out whether or not he could get it in the store.

A couple of days later I received a voice mail from Eldon saying that the wine had arrived. My first thought was, “Oh, I didn’t intend for him to order a bottle. I only intended for him to see if it was available and, if so, at what price?”

Later that day I arrived at the store to pick up the bottle of Earthquake Cabernet, hoping that it was closer to $20 than $40. When I arrived, Eldon greeted me with, “I’ve got your case of Earthquake right here.”

I said, “Case?”

He said, “Yes. You did want a case didn’t you?”

Here is where the relationship that Eldon had been building over time by expressing genuine interest in me as a customer, sharing unique knowledge about wines, and conveying authentic enthusiasm for food and wine, really began to pay off for him.

I said, “I’m not even sure of the per bottle price. How much is it?”

Eldon said, “I was able to get you a really good price from the distributor: $24 per bottle. I actually hired him into the business many years ago.”

My response: “Sold!”

The moral of the story is that, in the absence of the relationship that Eldon had forged, I almost certainly would have said, “Hey, I never authorized ordering the case. I was only inquiring as to whether or not the wine was available and, if so, at what price. My budget is $20 for wine, so that wine’s too pricey anyway.”

In that situation, the vendor is stuck carrying another $288 worth of obscure inventory and depending on how the misunderstanding is handled, could jeopardize future business with the customer. Think about it, we’ve all been in similar situations before. How you chose to proceed as a customer likely hinged on the relationship you had with the vendor.

Memorable service that is customer-focused fulfills experiences, builds relationships, and creates loyal customers who are less price-sensitive, recommend your business to others, and tend to repurchase products and services.

Transactional service that is process-focused and does not add value or build customer relationships, however, does none of these things.

A good friend of mine, Shawn, travels nearly every week with his job as a regional sales manager for a large technology company.  Shawn is a member of United Airline’s Mileage Plus frequent flyer program and recently achieved its elite status, 100K (which recognizes 100,000 actual flight miles traveled within the calendar year).

Late last year, on the outbound leg of the flight that would carry him over the 100,000 mile threshold, a United Airline representative approached him in the gate area, thanked him for his loyalty, and recognized his achievement of a status that very few frequent travelers will ever reach.  As a part of the recognition “ceremony,” she took his boarding pass, drew a line through his current Premiere Executive status, and hand wrote “United 1K!”

Shawn was so complimented by the gesture that he saved the boarding pass and uses it as a bookmark.  He recently told me that this simple act by the gate agent reinforced his loyalty to the airline and was the deciding factor to book with United Airlines when comparing flight schedules and fares offered by United and two competing airlines for an upcoming business trip to Calgary, Alberta. And, in case you’re wondering, United was not offering the cheapest fare.

How about you? How have you been complimented lately as a customer?

Consider the job knowledge that is expected from a typical waiter at a fine dining restaurant. For instance, he or she might be expected to know the menu items well in terms of ingredients, sauces, substitutions—that sort of thing. The waiter would also be expected to know about aspects of the menu that might change from time to time such as the market prices of fresh fish, daily specials, etc.

What may not be expected from a waiter is unique knowledge. By definition, this knowledge is unexpected—that makes it unique. Because it’s unique, it adds to the service experience and is memorable. Ordinary job knowledge is expected and produces predictable results. Because it’s ordinary, it does not add to the service experience and is, ultimately, forgettable.

Here’s an illustration of two waiter scripts, one conveying job knowledge (i.e., bland and routine—and quite forgettable) and the other conveying unique knowledge (i.e., unexpected and refreshing—and quite memorable!):

1. Job knowledge:

“Tonight, our featured appetizer is the Pâté de Foie Gras. May I interest you in an order?”

2. Unique knowledge:

“Our chef trained at the prestigious Restaurant School in Philadelphia and apprenticed at Le Bec Fin. She also traveled to France to refine her knowledge of French delicacies such as truffles, escargot, and foie gras. In fact, our Pâté de Foie Gras is our featured appetizer. May I tempt you with an order?”

Now, seriously, if you’re on the receiving end of each of these proposals, which one might you accept—even if you previously had no intention of ordering an appetizer? Exactly.

And here’s something else I’ve found to be true: Which proposal is likely to bring up the question of price (which may influence a customer’s decision of whether or not to order the appetizer)? After hearing the second proposal (and swallowing, as the waiter’s proposal has likely activated a Pavlovian response…) my hunch is that, for most customers, the price of the appetizer would be irrelevant.

So, make it a point to acquire as much unique knowledge as you possibly can about products, services, the culture and history of your business, the building and neighborhood you operate in, the people (as in the example above), and even proper names (e.g., “Why is the restaurant named Ruth’s Chris anyway?”). You will be providing your customers with a richer service experience and they will be making you, well, richer!

While customers appreciate nice employees, they value knowledgeable employees. And the more unique knowledge employees possess, the more value they bring to the customer experience.

A couple of years ago, I was shopping for a garment bag for my wife. Her job required travel and her current bag was showing serious signs of wear and tear.

I stopped into one of those mall luggage stores and the salesperson showed me a black Tumi garment bag.

As I was inspecting the bag I noticed the price was $400. I said to the salesperson, “Wow.  I really like the bag but four hundred dollars is more than I was planning to spend. Do these bags ever go on sale?”

She answered, “The only time I’ve seen these bags discounted is when a color or style has been discontinued.”

I didn’t see anything else I was interested in buying at the store and so thanked the woman and left.

A few minutes later I stopped by a second luggage store at the mall and looked around. Again, the only bag that caught my eye was the same black Tumi garment bag. I checked the price tag: $400. A salesperson approached me about this time and asked if she could answer any questions. I posed the same question I’d asked in the previous store, “I really like this bag but four hundred dollars is more than I was planning to spend. Do these bags ever go on sale?”

Again, the salesperson answered, “These bags are only discounted when a color or style has been discontinued.”

I thought to myself, “Well, at least they’re consistent.” But then the woman said something I hadn’t heard before.

She said, “You’re right. This luggage is not cheap. Four hundred dollars is quite an investment in a garment bag. Did you know, however, that this will be the last garment bag that you may ever have to purchase?”

My quizzical expression prompted her to continue…

“Tumi guarantees its bags for life. It’s made out of ballistic nylon and can withstand the wear associated with frequent travel. If you do experience a tear, a lost wheel, anything at all, Tumi will repair or replace the bag at no cost to you—for life. Also, Tumi installs a special metal plate in each of its bags containing a bar code that customers register at the Tumi website after purchasing the bag. That way, if your bag is ever mishandled, there will be a way to reunite you with your bag even if your luggage tag comes off during handling.”

I bought the garment bag.

It was ironic to me that I was leaving the second luggage store with the identical bag I hadn’t even considered purchasing for $400 fifteen minutes earlier at the first luggage store. And all because the salesperson took the time to share her unique knowledge and convince me that, as a frequent traveler, I really could not afford not to buy this bag!

While customers appreciate nice employees, they value knowledgeable employees. And the more unique knowledge employees possess, the more value they bring to the customer experience.

Earlier today I stopped by my local Safeway supermarket. I was picking up the necessary ingredients to make a pretty unoriginal meal: spaghetti and meat sauce. Deciding it might be interesting to surprise my family with a unique twist on a common meal—in our household anyway—I looked at the seasoning packets in the baking aisle to see if they had one for Italian meatballs.

I wasn’t finding exactly what I was looking for and must have telegraphed this with my body language because, about the time I was going to give up and settle for boring old meat sauce, an employee named Kristi approached me to see if I needed help. I explained what I was looking for and together we scanned the selection one more time without finding exactly what I needed.

Kristi then said, “I’m sorry we don’t have what you’re looking for. I have my own recipe for Italian meatballs in my head.” I asked, “Can you tell me some of the basic ingredients? Then I’ll try to make it myself at home.”

She then provided me with a list of ingredients and corresponding quantities from her personal recipe! I was delighted and thanked her for taking the extra time to help me.

But it doesn’t end there. About five minutes later, Kristi approached me in another part of the store saying, “I almost forgot…you’ll also need 3 teaspoons of Parmesan cheese.”

I was so impressed with her thoughtfulness and the genuine interest she expressed in my desire to serve Italian meatballs to my family for dinner. Not only did she stop what she was doing in the baking aisle to assist me and—ultimately—share her personal recipe, she also had the thoughtfulness to reflect on the recipe to make sure she hadn’t left anything out. And when she realized she had, took the initiative to find me in the store and share the missing ingredient!

While memorable customer service may not always translate immediately to increased sales, it did in this case. Remember, I was prepared to settle for boring old meat sauce (which I already had at home) after not finding what I was looking for on the shelf. In fact, it turns out that I already had most of the ingredients for Kristi’s recipe at home. But there were two items, saltine crackers and Parmesan cheese, that I didn’t have. Those items totaled $7.

Just imagine the potential of a supermarket staffed by engaged employees like Kristi.  What if every customer who telegraphed a need through his or body language as I did was approached rather than ignored? Maybe a percentage of these customers could be directed to another part of the store where the product they’re hoping to find is stocked? Or perhaps, assuming the store does not carry exactly what they’re looking for, some number of customers could be induced to try an alternative like I was?

Can you begin to see the potential?

Now contrast the above story with this one:  It too is a true story.  Last weekend, I stopped by an Ulta salon for a haircut.  The stylist was a good conversationalist, took her time, and did a good job.

As I was paying for the haircut, Roxanne expressed genuine interest in a cut that I had bandaged on my right thumb.  She hadn’t noticed it before now and asked, “O-h-h…what did you do to your thumb?”

I explained that I really didn’t injure it.  It was just that during the winter months in Colorado, it’s especially dry and my skin tends to crack on my thumb and one or two other areas of my hand.  I told her that I’d tried a variety of lotions but nothing seemed to help.

She then said, “Have you tried Glysolid?” as she lead me to the product.  She handed me the thin red container saying, “You should try this.  I used to have the same condition but now my hands are silky smooth—see?”  She held out her hands for me to inspect and guess what?  They were smooth and she made a $9 sale!

Think about it:  How often do you really encounter employees like Roxanne who express genuinely interest in you?  Now, consider how often you encounter employees who are apathetic—employees you might characterize as indifferent toward serving you, the customer (e.g., employees who might say, “If you didn’t see it on the shelf then we don’t carry it.  Have a nice day.”).

Would these employees demonstrate the care and concern necessary to ask about an injury you may have received to your thumb?  Would these employees really bother to take a personal interest in you?  Probably not.  Would they have made an additional $9 sale like Roxanne?  Probably not.

Memorable service drives sales.  Forgettable service does not.

Earlier today I brought three of my children, ages 3, 5, and 7, to the dentist.  We’ve been going to the same pediatric dentistry office since our oldest child turned 3 and was scheduled for his first “Happy Appointment!”  (That’s the nickname the dental hygienists give to a toddler’s first experience at their office.)

From the moment the kids arrived, they were entertained by an oversized aquarium stocked with the cast from Finding Nemo.  A raised platform surrounds the base of the aquarium in order for the really little kids to enjoy the same perspective as the bigger kids.  As their appointments came up, each child was greeted in the reception area and escorted back to the roomy, well-lit patient examination area complete with electric chairs that go up and down, loads of stickers, pencils, and those plastic rings that kids can’t get enough of…

Today, all three kids had their teeth cleaned.  During the cleanings, I heard the hygienists refer to each of their instruments by descriptive, kid-friendly names.  For example, the bright overhead light was “Mr. Sunshine.”  The suction straw was “Mr. Thirsty” and the high-pressure water jet was “Mr. Windy.”

Afterwards, all the little patients got to select their prizes and choose from a wide selection of themed toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss ranging from dinosaurs and action figures for the boys to ponies and princesses for the girls.

During the appointment, I had a chance to ask one of the dentists how the current economy was impacting his practice.  He said, “You know Steve, I’m really concerned.  Only about half our patients are completely covered by dental insurance.  The other half either don’t have insurance or the insurance they do have covers 50% or less of the cost of the visit.  If the procedure is going to require much out-of-pocket expense, it’s easy for people to rationalize delaying a previously scheduled appointment by six to twelve months.”

I then asked another question that I felt I already knew the answer to: “So, you’re probably already seeing this sentiment reflected in your own business, right?”  To my surprise, he said, “Well, actually no.  But we’re sure worried about it.”

In reflecting on that conversation, I realize why I shouldn’t be surprised that his practice is still prospering in spite of the economy.  Did I mention how memorable the visits were for the kids?  Everything from the fish to the floss is geared toward making positive memories for the kids.

These memories not only fuel a desire to brush well and return to the dentist regularly.  As it turns out, they also insulate the practice from the negative effects of a sluggish economy we’ll call “Mr. Grumpy Pants.”