Customer Service is Alive and Well and Sometimes Not

I have moaned and complained about the state of customer service for so long that I had come to accept poor service as a sad fact of modern life. In a former existance I was a training instructor for among other things, customer service. You all know what I'm talking about here. Surly clerks, rude or no manners, the 'don't bother me I'm having a day' attitude.

Imagine my total surprise to find that excellent service is alive and well in of all places....a fast food establishment. Yes I'm going to name names here. I decided to stop in to a Chic-fil-A place in Grand Junction, Colorado yesterday. Store #0612 managed/owned by Kevin Brock. I have never eaten at a Chic-fil-A and my daughter assured me the food was very good. She is right, the food is good and tasty. But what had me amazed was the counter staff. I was greeted in an upbeat friendly manner, was looked in the eye when I walked in, was not rushed on my order, and was treated politely with a....wait for it....thank you! I was stunned. I mean it, stunned.
Thinking this treatment must be a fluke I watched the counter staff and the drive thru person go through their paces with other customers. The same result, the same level of professionalism for every customer.

I had to say something. I filled out a comment card and when the owner came in I had to tell him in person how impressed I was. He seemed pleased to hear it.

Now contrast this with my constant experiences with a Taco Bell in an ajoining town. No naming of names here. Yes this Taco Bell is extremely busy, and yes the employees are mostly high school age. I fine this no excuse for truly awful service. The food is fine but NEVER have I gotten a polite hello or even the counter person looking me in the eye. And a 'thank you'? Oh please.
A few days ago I decided I had had enough so before I gave my order at Taco Bell I said 'hello' to the person taking my order. No response. Not to let this go I restated my hello with a bit more volume. Finally she looked at me and muttered a grudging hello back. Never smiled, never acknowledged me as a person. So while I studied the other employees I found a troubling theme. Most of them looked so gloomy that I wondered if Taco Bell is that bad of a place to work. It was depressing.

My point is this, while the food is good at both places the Chick-fil-A left me smiling and feeling upbeat for the rest of the day, Taco Bell in the adjoining town gets my business because it's the only one for miles around and I'm always a bit grumpy when I leave. Don't think customer service matters? Every little thing you can do to bring in business matters. And to leave people smiling?.....Priceless!

Thanks for listening,
Lindy