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It does not take being Dr. Success to know that the mark of a great company is its people, yet every so often I am dazzled by a customer service experience. When I am I need to pause and pay tribute to not only the person (whose name I do not know) who delivered the outstanding service, but the company that was smart enough to give a person the opportunity to serve.
I wrote of Branden Collinsworth and Corefit in one of my May posts. Corefit clearly knows how to hire well and train well. Today I will share with you an experience I had at my local Target Store on W. Charleston in Las Vegas.
Dr. Success Challenge: Think of a time you were dazzled by the service you received at a retail store. Hold that thought the next time you go into to purchase something somewhere. Make note if you are able to replicate the positive experience. This is a fun way to see if “thoughts become things.” I don’t know how the experience will turn out, but I do know that holding a positive thought prior to an encounter will elevate your mood for that moment regardless of the outcome of the experiment!
On Thursday evening, May 28, I made a quick stop at the Target Store on W. Charleston in Las Vegas. I needed some picture hooks to hang some photos in my office. As I scanned the isles, I realized I really did not know where to look, so I began the hunt for a Target employee to ask assistance. Within a moment I came upon a young woman stocking shelves in the recognizable Target uniform. I approached her talking, as I would do, and she immediately smiled and raised her hand in silence, signaling me to pause my speaking. She motioned to her restock cart and reached for a pad and pen that lay waiting. She handed me the pad and pen and motioned for me to write what I was saying…all the time with a big smile on her face. I did as instructed, handed the pad back to her, and off we were. Within a moment she had me facing a wall of hooks to fill every desire.
Recognizing she had directed me to my objective, she gave me one last smile of approval and was off. As I chose my needed hooks, my heart was smiling bigger than that young lady’s face. I knew I had just experienced not just a person doing their job, but a company that is smart enough to believe in the potential of the human spirit. It was clear the young lady who assisted me was hearing impaired, yet they trusted and trained her to be for service.
I have been a fan of Target Stores since the day twenty years ago my then new Memphis friends Susan Lawless-Glassman and Susan Young (owner of Blis Uptown) introduced me as a young mother to their favorite store for their little girl’s cloths – Targa’t. At the time I thought they were nuts. My first thought was that I had not worked hard and done well economically just so I could buy my child’s cloths in a discount store. Not wanting to appear like a snob (or a dumb shopper), I checked out what Target had to offer. Target won me as a customer because of their quality.
Today what keeps me as a customer is employees like the hearing impaired young woman I encountered, the continuing contribution Target makes to my community even in tough economic times…and yes, the quality of their merchandise for the price.
As everyone probably knows, Target’s brand logo is a red Bullseye. For me they really hit the mark.
P.S. My only surprise with Target Stores is that I originally wanted to write this message to them directly. I went to their website and tried unsuccessfully for almost 30 minutes to find a way to send an email with my customer comments. The “Contact Us” section had lots of phone numbers but no way I could send a message about an employee or a customer service issue. In fact a search of the words “customer service” and “compliment” showed no results. I think they are missing an opportunity to hear a lot of great things about their brand, products and employees.
With appreciation, Andrea
I wrote of Branden Collinsworth and Corefit in one of my May posts. Corefit clearly knows how to hire well and train well. Today I will share with you an experience I had at my local Target Store on W. Charleston in Las Vegas.
Dr. Success Challenge: Think of a time you were dazzled by the service you received at a retail store. Hold that thought the next time you go into to purchase something somewhere. Make note if you are able to replicate the positive experience. This is a fun way to see if “thoughts become things.” I don’t know how the experience will turn out, but I do know that holding a positive thought prior to an encounter will elevate your mood for that moment regardless of the outcome of the experiment!
On Thursday evening, May 28, I made a quick stop at the Target Store on W. Charleston in Las Vegas. I needed some picture hooks to hang some photos in my office. As I scanned the isles, I realized I really did not know where to look, so I began the hunt for a Target employee to ask assistance. Within a moment I came upon a young woman stocking shelves in the recognizable Target uniform. I approached her talking, as I would do, and she immediately smiled and raised her hand in silence, signaling me to pause my speaking. She motioned to her restock cart and reached for a pad and pen that lay waiting. She handed me the pad and pen and motioned for me to write what I was saying…all the time with a big smile on her face. I did as instructed, handed the pad back to her, and off we were. Within a moment she had me facing a wall of hooks to fill every desire.
Recognizing she had directed me to my objective, she gave me one last smile of approval and was off. As I chose my needed hooks, my heart was smiling bigger than that young lady’s face. I knew I had just experienced not just a person doing their job, but a company that is smart enough to believe in the potential of the human spirit. It was clear the young lady who assisted me was hearing impaired, yet they trusted and trained her to be for service.
I have been a fan of Target Stores since the day twenty years ago my then new Memphis friends Susan Lawless-Glassman and Susan Young (owner of Blis Uptown) introduced me as a young mother to their favorite store for their little girl’s cloths – Targa’t. At the time I thought they were nuts. My first thought was that I had not worked hard and done well economically just so I could buy my child’s cloths in a discount store. Not wanting to appear like a snob (or a dumb shopper), I checked out what Target had to offer. Target won me as a customer because of their quality.
Today what keeps me as a customer is employees like the hearing impaired young woman I encountered, the continuing contribution Target makes to my community even in tough economic times…and yes, the quality of their merchandise for the price.
As everyone probably knows, Target’s brand logo is a red Bullseye. For me they really hit the mark.
P.S. My only surprise with Target Stores is that I originally wanted to write this message to them directly. I went to their website and tried unsuccessfully for almost 30 minutes to find a way to send an email with my customer comments. The “Contact Us” section had lots of phone numbers but no way I could send a message about an employee or a customer service issue. In fact a search of the words “customer service” and “compliment” showed no results. I think they are missing an opportunity to hear a lot of great things about their brand, products and employees.
With appreciation, Andrea
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