October 2, 2012 - In honor of Customer Service Week (Oct 1-5, 2012), we have compiled some of the top rated service WOW stories from our Work Like You Own It! site. Share the stories with your team and hopefully the examples will give everyone an extra push to create memorable experiences for all customers this week (and beyond).

PUBLIC Hotel Chicago

My task was to conduct the service excellence portion of the new employee orientation for the hotel’s workforce. As I was leaving my hotel room on the morning of the orientation, the handle on my garment bag snapped. So I had to (clumsily) hold the bag together while heading to the orientation room. One of the managers saw me struggling with the bag, and offered to assist with carrying the luggage. When my segment ended, the same manager walked up on the stage and presented me with a brand new, top of the line, garment bag.

Being perceptive is one thing…Wanting to act on that perception is another…Actually going to the department store, buying the bag, and WOWing someone (me) is working like you own it! 

MacArthur Place – Sonoma’s Historic Country Inn & Spa

*This WOW story was submitted by MacArthur Place in Sonoma Valley, CA.

Grisha Papadin, a young and very enthusiastic bellman, and new member of our staff was really inspired by our new hire orientation which is based on your book "Engaging Service, 22 Ways to Become a Service Superstar". He seeks to wow our guests at every opportunity. 

We offer complimentary DVD movies for our guests to watch in their room, and we had a guest checking out a movie with Grisha and they jokingly mentioned to him, "the only thing better would be to have a big bowl of buttered popcorn to watch it with". Well, after the guest left to return to their room, Grisha ran to the vending machine in our employee break room and bought some microwave popcorn (with his own money),  popped it up and then got some butter from the kitchen and melted it, put it all in a big bowl, tossed it up and brought it to the guest all within a matter of a few minutes.

Needless to say the guested was "wowed" and asked to see me when they were checking out to tell me how impressed they were with him. What makes me so pleased with this story is that this is his first job and we use it as an example to inspire all of us on how we can be better.

Gadabout Salon & Spas

*This WOW story was submitted by Gadabout Salon & Spas in Tucson , AZ.

One of our guests recently had open heart surgery. She was in her early 50s and was always a go getter and lived life. She came in one day, very tired, just out of the hospital and she really needed her hair tinted. She was feeling down, and was happy to be in the salon (trying to feel normal again). She noticed my shoes, which I had just gotten on sale at a store in the same plaza as ours. She loved them. She wanted to go out to dinner soon, when she was feeling better. She loved my shoes so much we ran over to get her a pair (since they were on sale). As she was leaving, we presented them to her, and she started crying.  This guest was so self conscious of her scar and physical appearance from all of the medication, we made her feel beautiful, not only with her hair service, but by giving her something to look forward to when she was feeling better.  

Taj Cape Town

*This WOW story was submitted by Taj Cape Town.

Mr. and Mrs. Wood stayed with us for 4 nights and they were travelling with their 18-month old son, William. Kimberly, who had developed a fond attachment to the child, insisted on doing something special for him on departure. On her own accord, she bought a stuffed dog with her own money to present to the child. She also requested for Kyle, from our pastry kitchen, to provide something additional to add to the gesture. He supplied biscuits with chocolate smiling faces.

The mother indicated on departure that they had brought a teddy bear for William, however during their 2 week stay in South Africa, the teddy bear became so dirty that they had to pack it into the luggage, as it was too filthy to give to him to play with. Kimberly presented William with the new stuffed dog, and he found an instant attachment to it and dragged the dog around the lobby while the parents settled the account. Mr. and Mrs. Wood were impressed and amazed by Kimberly’s action. She really delighted and dazzled the guests, especially William.  

Teavana

Some people enjoy their jobs, while there are other people who are absolutely in love with their jobs. On a recent visit to Teavana (nation-wide tea store), I met Mitzi who was incredibly passionate about the teas she was showcasing. When I asked her about green teas, she quickly (and happily) retrieved a few canisters that contained green loose leaf teas. She then removed the lid (with a magician’s flair) and fanned the leaves in an upward motion so I could enjoy the aroma. How can you NOT love the drama?

It’s one thing to be competent in your job, but it’s another thing entirely to be fully engrossed in the intricacies and benefits of your company’s services and products. Mitzi was no exception. One of the green teas she told me about was Gyokuro Imperial (The “G” is silent). Without any type of cheap sheet or other job aid, she effortlessly explained that Gyokuro Imperial is “rich with Vitamins A, B12, C, K, and E. Plus it’s great for your liver, kidney, and is an amazing blood cleanser.” Wow.

I then asked her about teas with accents of mint. Without hesitation, she got a canister of “Scarlet Cloud”, which is a flavored white tea, and told me that “it has lots of antioxidants and is great for hydration of skin, nails and teeth”. Mitzi then took the time to write down the benefits of both the Gyokuro Imperial and Scarlet Cloud on a paper for me.

It became clear to me that, for Mitzi, this was not just a mere job…it was her calling. To put it simply, Mitzi:

• Believes in her craft
• Believes in what she is serving
• Believes in the intrinsic (and holistic) benefits of what she is serving
• Believes in what her company stands for

If there is such a thing as a tea sommelier, Mitzi should be the poster child.

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Recent Testimonials for Dr. Bryan K. Williams and B.Williams Enterprise
 
“I have attended more of these conferences over the years than I would care to even think about and I am an “old dog” and new tricks and change often make me cringe but your presentation had just the opposite effect.  It was as motivating and stimulating as anything I have ever been privileged to participate in and I wanted to thank you. I took more notes during your presentation than I did during some of my college courses!”


“Thank you Bryan for recharging my batteries. You were very inspiring and uplifting, and the knowledge will always be remembered no matter where life takes me and will always act like ‘I own it’.”

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About Bryan K. Williams
Dr. Bryan K. Williams is the Chief Service Officer of B.Williams Enterprise, and the author of Engaging Service: 22 Ways to Become a Service Superstar and Work Like You Own It! 20 Ways to Go From Meeting to Exceeding Your Customers’ Expectations. Bryan’s passion is world-class customer service, and has facilitated workshops and delivered keynotes all over the world for various companies.  He speaks on a variety of topics related to service excellence, employee engagement, and organizational improvement.  As a consultant, Bryan works closely with companies to design, develop, and implement sustainable service strategies. His company’s online store includes a growing collection of customer service products that are well-suited for your training library.

Both of Bryan’s books can be purchased at http://shop.bwenterprise.net/