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Abstract

e week? Not a problem. Pay me now. Comes to $65.I handed him my AMEX without flinching. I am thinking, my boot guy told me he was the best and you pay for the best. Go for it. I walked away with a claim check.If this guy is the best, if he has all this equipment, my boots are going to look great, repaired, polished, ready to go.When I returned to the shop, the owner helped me once again. He put a shopping bag on the counter. He pulled the boots out and showed me the soles. He drops them back into the bag. Off I go. I got them home and saw they were not polished. I felt disappointed. I will shine them myself.I was expecting something worth more than$ 65.What exactly did I expect? When I told the shopman I had his card, the first thing he should have asked me was. Have you ever been to my shop before?I wanted him to say. You have a nice pair of boots here. Since you are a new customer, I will make sure they look impeccable. Next time you stand next to a Lambo, people will notice your Luccheses.Don’t forget to contact the guy down at my favorite boot store to say thanks.Encourage the boot shop guy to keep sending customers. Drop by, so I can take care of you too. Load

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him up with MORE CARDS. Then, do great work.I expected more effort from the shop owner. Dress the heels, cover them in boot wax and take them to the buffer machine. Put a mirror finish on them. THEN put them in the bag. I figure that would take him two minutes at the most and cost next to nothing.Goodwill is priceless. Endear me to your shop.SELL me on how great they look. I polished this pair myself and dressed the heels with my special mix. They look great now!Shop owners grow their businesses by providing an extraordinary shopping experience. Did he strive to understand my expectations and exceed them? No. He blew the chance to build a rapport with me. He blew the chance to endear me to his shop. He blew the chance to have me tell someone who notices my boots that they were polished by a shop on the corner. Two more minutes of effort!Pretty simple, huh?I would have had to tell everyone looking at my Lamborghini about the guy who takes care of my boots.*** *** Douglas Pilarski is a writer/journalist based in Portland. <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>Copyright © 2020 AstonBell Media All rights reserved. *** ***</article></body>

2 Minutes at Most

Extra effort costs next to nothing

This customer service lesson is so simple. I almost did not write it out. I will share with you what happened and what should have happened.

I own a pair of Lucchese boots and often get compliments. Someone told me if I was wearing them standing next to a Lamborghini, I would notice those boots. It is a nice compliment. I never thought about it that way.

Anyway, I am in my favorite western store. I tell the guy my boots are starting to wear. He looked at them and produced a business card from his shirt pocket. It is a card from a repair shop close to my house. These guys are the best around, drop them off, and use my name. I send my customers his way.

I popped in late Saturday and showed the card to the shop owner. His name was on the business card. I tell him he came recommended and say I want to repair the wear on my boots. Sure, when do you need them? I said, no hurry, how about the end of the week? Not a problem. Pay me now. Comes to $65.

I handed him my AMEX without flinching. I am thinking, my boot guy told me he was the best and you pay for the best. Go for it. I walked away with a claim check.

If this guy is the best, if he has all this equipment, my boots are going to look great, repaired, polished, ready to go.

When I returned to the shop, the owner helped me once again. He put a shopping bag on the counter. He pulled the boots out and showed me the soles. He drops them back into the bag. Off I go. I got them home and saw they were not polished. I felt disappointed. I will shine them myself.

I was expecting something worth more than $65.

What exactly did I expect? When I told the shopman I had his card, the first thing he should have asked me was. Have you ever been to my shop before?

I wanted him to say. You have a nice pair of boots here. Since you are a new customer, I will make sure they look impeccable. Next time you stand next to a Lambo, people will notice your Luccheses.

Don’t forget to contact the guy down at my favorite boot store to say thanks.

Encourage the boot shop guy to keep sending customers. Drop by, so I can take care of you too. Load him up with MORE CARDS. Then, do great work.

I expected more effort from the shop owner. Dress the heels, cover them in boot wax and take them to the buffer machine. Put a mirror finish on them. THEN put them in the bag. I figure that would take him two minutes at the most and cost next to nothing.

Goodwill is priceless. Endear me to your shop.

SELL me on how great they look. I polished this pair myself and dressed the heels with my special mix. They look great now!

Shop owners grow their businesses by providing an extraordinary shopping experience. Did he strive to understand my expectations and exceed them? No. He blew the chance to build a rapport with me. He blew the chance to endear me to his shop. He blew the chance to have me tell someone who notices my boots that they were polished by a shop on the corner. Two more minutes of effort!

Pretty simple, huh?

I would have had to tell everyone looking at my Lamborghini about the guy who takes care of my boots.

*** *** ***

Douglas Pilarski is a writer/journalist based in Portland. [email protected]

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