Hi, I’m Lisa and I’m addicted to Costco. (Hello lisa). Although I’m not a fan of most big box stores, a trip to Costco is an adventure I love. From the delicious food samples to the wide range of interesting products that, once discovered, we can no longer live without, I enjoy the whole experience. But that’s not what makes me appreciate Costco. It’s your people.
From what I understand, Costco treats their employees extremely well. They have more flexibility and earn higher wages than those offered by competing stores. And that shows us. Employees have fun and ensure a pleasant trip. When Scott and I first became members of Costco, I was poking fun at the Kirtland brand that is prevalent throughout the store. (Seriously, is there anything Kirtland does NOT put a label on?) With complete and utter sincerity, the Costco employee he was talking to said, “NOTHING Kirtland makes isn’t top notch.” Wow, that’s commitment. I felt his passion and discovered that he is absolutely right.
Now for the post office. I’ll go out on a limb and venture to say that most people don’t enjoy a trip to the post office. Face it, it’s generally not a place where the employees are charming, helpful, and fun, except in North Royalton, Ohio. I had a package to deliver and drove out of my way, right by a neighboring post office, to go to MY post office. It’s not like I’ve had horrible experiences at this other place, it’s just not a place where the employees go out of their way to make customers feel special or important.
Not so at North Royalton. The package she was sending was in an “if it fits, it ships” box. Due to the size of what she was shipping, there was a small bulge on the side of the box. A visiting postal worker was looking after me and I wasn’t sure if she was “allowed” to take the package. Her colleague, a postal worker who knows me by name, told her, “Of course we’ll accept Mrs. Ryan’s package, we love her!” In a long line of people, the employees treated each customer with the same respect, patience, and kindness that they showed me, and no one complained about the wait.
Another customer handed Gary a notice to pick up a letter. He had had the notice for quite some time and the post office had already returned the letter to him. Gary apologized to her that the letter was not there. Her response from him? “Of course, that’s what I thought. It’s not your fault. Thank you.” Courtesy, sincere care for the customer, and acknowledgment of customer problems go a long way toward creating enthusiastic fans.
And finally, my dentist. I found Dr. Craig Vinkovich the usual way: by going online and reading testimonials. The funny thing is that Dr. Vinkovich was one of the few dentists who actually had positive recommendations. One trip to his office and I understood why.
I don’t like filling out forms. Although they are a necessary evil, I find them tedious and repetitive, so I opt to have a little fun with them. For example, in the blank where they ask about children, my general response is “Do cats count?” When the forms ask if I’m pregnant, the answer is always “OMG NO!” and so. Frankly, I didn’t expect the form to be read at all, and certainly not in front of me. Luckily, Dr. Vinkovich read my form in its entirety while I was sitting in the chair, and he laughed. And then he laughed some more. He knew that he had found the perfect dentist, one who was not only good at what he did, but also had a great sense of humor.
The other reason I love coming to your office is the people you hire. It breaks my heart that your receptionist/office manager, Sandy, is moving to Florida, but I know based on her experience, she will hire the perfect person for this position. Sandy is magnificent. She greets patients with a smile and warmth that makes them feel like the most important person on the planet. Because of his unbelievable relentless attitude, a few years ago, I sent him a thank you. To this day, she thanks ME for sending it to her. Little things make a BIG difference.
So what do Costco, the North Royalton Post Office, and the office of Dr. Craig Vinkovich have in common? Employees who make it an absolute pleasure to patronize these businesses. After all, when employees are treated well, they take better care of their customers. Employees who feel valued and appreciated, who know they are contributing to the organization’s mission, and who enjoy their work, go out of their way to provide customer service that stands above the competition.
I’ve been through other warehouse-style stores, numerous post offices, and fired several dentists in my life (for reasons I definitely won’t share here), and I choose to give my hard-earned money to people who make me feel valued, appreciated and special for selecting them. And you?
Take a moment today to recognize the people who make your business great, both your customers and your employees.
Also, feel free to share how your positive experiences with a company’s employees have made you a loyal and enthusiastic fan. Thank you!
