Tuesday 15 December 2009

Superb service - when you don't expect it

Imagine the scene: a wet and cold evening in Northampton. An hour to kill before a movie starts and my wife & I are hungry. We spy a rather shabby looking pizza cafe opposite the cinema - lots of Formica and tables that have seen better days. But it is close, it will be quick and we are hungry. We order two pizzas which arrive within minutes. Smiling staff deliver them to our table. The pizzas are succulent and far better than we were expecting.

But we cannot eat all of them and wonder - out loud - as to what we might do. The cafe manager overhears our conversation and offers to doggy bag them for us. We explain that we are about to see a movie and the cinema might raise an eyebrow or two at us taking a pizza into the theatre. The manager says no problem - would we like him to keep our pizzas for us, and we can pick them up later. We say 'thank you!'

On leaving the cinema we pop across the road. The manager is not there - but his colleague is. As soon as we enter he says 'you have come for your pizzas' and goes to get them for us.

A truly delightful and impressive example of excellent service. And the fact that the manager had clearly communicated with his colleague about the arrangement was just brilliant.

Sometimes you get superlative service when you least expect it.

What examples do you have - as a customer or as a supplier...?

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