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FOR EXAMPLE
Sunday Jan. 17, 2016
Meaningful interactions …
Is that ‘Hello’ in passing, shaking hands, waving, just as briefly – greeting eye-to-eye, being complementary, leaving them with a smile or ‘have a great day’?
When paths intersect, we know.
We know how.
We’re too busy, distracted, in a hurry …
Consider ‘familiar strangers’, same-faces at gas stations, dry-cleaners, bakeries, Starbucks, supermarket check-outs, how much time we invest in them?
We know them, see them, but we don’t know them.
Names embroidered on shirts, tags spell their names or say Manager, or Trainee.
How about ‘First Responder’?
I’d like that.
Imagine someone at the gas bar or donut shop with kind eyes, a soft voice and a cheerful outlook – imagine everyone we encounter in stores, hotels or businesses – those receptionists, clerks and bellmen were ‘First Responders’ in attitude, in preparedness to handle emergencies, dissolving complaints, solving problems, dispensing kindness, administering care under pressure, calming objections, experts in merchandise or service specialties – while being incredibly nice?
Neither welcome mats, or door-mat, but proud owners, skilled merchants, magnificence sales-people or servers – giving us kindness, attention and care, welcomed to be there and treated as if we are the most valuable commodity ever to set foot in their establishment ... because we are.
But …
Assume for a moment they’ve not been taught. Not trained to care to listen. They’ve a low wage job, work often brutal shifts, night not have had a meaningful interaction with anyone all day or all night …
Yes, WE are the most important person who ever walks in their door.
As much as they’ve forgotten how service is done, maybe we’ve forgotten how great is our responsibility for reciprocity in those relationships.
It’s a two way street.
Are we at least 50% responsible for making interactions meaningful, memorable?
Those who serve us, especially those young and untrained, haven’t learned yet how to give great customer service. Maybe it is our job to show them how …
When we walk in, we could offer ‘good morning, isn’t it a great day’, or ‘hey, you have a great smile’, or ‘how may I help you?’
If we all tried to be ‘world’s best customers’, might we start getting the ‘world’s best services’?
Meaningful interactions need not be length. Just meaningful.
Mark Kolke
P.S.: these thoughts didn’t arrive in my mind today – but they’ve coalesced in my mind this morning after re-watching Lance Miller’s world championship (2005) speech.
written / published from Calgary, AB
morning walk: -18C/0F, ice crystals, steady breeze/rosy cheeks, quiet and lots of rabbit tracks to bemuse Gusta. Lots of tracks, but no rabbits …
Reader feedback:
SELF REGULATING PILGRIMAGE
My favourite one word sentence: Be. I like to think the big bang followed shortly after, BT, Calgary, AB
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