Some Lessons Learned

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Thank you

Rudy Vidal
Committed to XCL

Do Onto Others . . .

Today I was brushing up on Mahatma Gandhi, his philosophy and methods.  If you are not familiar with his works and philosophy beyond what media or folklore provide, I highly recommend a closer look.

While reading, it occurred to me that part of the reason customer service has a large impact on our lives is not because it is special in and of itself, but because it is an extension of the golden rule and therefore, of good social order -

               ”Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. 

The curious thing is that in order to follow the golden rule, we must be willing to temporarily disengage from our own condition.  That is to say, we must focus on the customer’s point of view, putting ourselves in their position. 

We cannot offer good service only when we feel the world has been fair to us, when things are going well, when all is just as we want it.  Good customer service requires that we consider the needs of another, even as we struggle with our own.  OK, this is sounding a little dogmatic, but isn’t it the essence of good customer service.

I often notice three types of customer service people. 

1. Those of us whose willingness to provide XCS is dependent on whether or not we are receiving it.
2. Those of us who are simply trying our best to do a difficult job
   and
3. Those of us who have realized, strangely enough, that our own quality of life is usually positively affected by our honest effort to consider the needs of others.

Those of us in the first group, need to move to either of the others, or should consider a diferent line of work.  Most of us, however, find ourselves in the second group as we move forward day to day to do our best at a job that is, at times, difficult.  This is not a bad place to be.

But, the blessing of customer service work can more readily be felt in the third group, where our lives tend to improve because of our work.  Where we become more tolerant and our problems seem to become less debilitating as we disengage from the idea that we are the center of the universe, while we concentrate on helping someone else.

Service does not need to be monumental or earth shattering.  It just needs to consider the customer’s point of view separately from our own. 

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” – Mahatma Gandhi

Rudy Vidal
Committed to XCS !

Yo Quiero Taco Bell !

Not usually a big Taco Bell fan, but this is an excellent example of XCS at work!

My daughter (24) and I (29) were moving on Saturday. It was very hot in So Cal (99 degrees in Brea, CA.).  We decided fast food was for us; but where?

We agreed on Taco Bell, drove up and Stacey orders a #1.  My turn – I’d like a Tostada – hold the sauce; a Burrito, hold the onion – and a Small Pepsi -hold the … Pep?  He laughs, and says, “This isn’t Burger King, but you can still have it your way!” then suggests we add Hot Sauce to the Pepsi to make it ”A Bloody Mary” – Ha, funny.   Coincidentally, the store is about 100 yards from The Brea Improv,  so, just before he gives us our total, I ask him if he escaped from the Improv.  “What Improv?”

We turn the corner approaching the Window, and there, waiting for us, is a hand stretched out holding a Soft Drink and a Straw.  When we pull up, he says, “What took you so long?” then, as I pick up my empty water bottle from the cupholder, he gestures to take it from me (for the trash).  My usual experience is that the attendant looks at me funny and points to the trash receptacle at the end of the drive – as if to say, “There’s the trash…. “  – Mr. Taco Bell, however, says, “Yes, I’ll take that from you!  That is how I Trash the Competition!“.

He’s right – He made every effort to make our fast food lunch enjoyable.  I told him we’d be coming back for dinner.  Then, embarrassed, he said, “Not so fast, I need some cash”;  In all the fun, I had forgotten to pay him – oops.  My daughter laughed, and said she thought he was asking for a tip, well deserved.

As we drove away with smiles on our faces, Stacey summed it up perfectly, “Mom, you’d think he was the Owner …”

Moral of the story:

• Extreme Customer Satisfaction and thus, Loyalty is FREE.
• Choose employees that are capable of having the “mind of an owner”.