"Sir, Can You Please Buy My Family A Meal?"....An Unexpected Lesson In Customer Care And Compassion

I recently posted a brief message on my Facebook page concerning an encounter with a Father outside a local Publix supermarket.  He was unemployed and seeking help to buy groceries for his family (wife with 2 young children).  As stated in my Facebook post, I was convinced the Father was truly in need;  therefore, instead of immediately leaving for my evening appointment, I took the time to help this man by allowing him to pick up some items for which I paid.

I relate this story, not to obtain any personal accolades or "pats on the back".  Quite frankly, I prefer to give such aide anonymously.  My reason for mentioning this instance is two-fold:

1. As a reminder that many of us are blessed beyond measure in our business and personal lives compared to others.

2. There is an interesting correlation I drew between helping this person in need and the application of basic customer satisfaction principles in a business context. Strange correlation I know, but let me explain further.

I have always been focused on the customer experience; doing my best to ensure customers that I or my teams support have the best experiences possible.   It is part of my DNA.   After reflecting on my brief time with the Father in need, it dawned upon me that the exchange he and I had embodied a number of the key customer care principles everyone in business should follow.

Principle: Decide What You Want; Know Who You Are

Those who have read Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles will recognize this principle.  In part, it basically states you need to clearly understand what your perfect view of serving others is when it comes to delivering your product or service.  You then need to understand what the gaps are in your ability to meet the vision so you can take steps toward achieving perfection.

My perfect view of helping mankind is to always do the best I can for others within the scope of my available resources.  Then to continually expand my resources so I can help more. This means perfection will always be a goal toward which I am striving.  As far as my helping this Father was concerned, I knew what I could afford to spend at the time. Thankfully, my available resources turned out to be sufficient in this instance.  

Principle: Discover What Those You Are Serving Want

In order to best serve others, you must understand what they need and want to satisfy their expectations.  This entails empathy, clear communications, and an array of other skills attributed to delivering excellent customer service.  

As the Father and I walked the aisles of Publix, I continually asked him what it was that he and his family needed for their next meal.  This exchange resulted in him picking items he knew his wife could prepare based upon their current living conditions.  It was also interesting that before he picked an item from the shelf he would ask me "Is this o.k.?".  This helped ensure expectations relative to what I wanted out of the exchange could also be met.  It ensured I could indeed serve him within the scope of my available resources and did not have to turn him away as a "customer".  As many in business know, you can't be all things to all people and still deliver an exceptional customer experience.

Looking back on it, I also recognized that during our communications it was clear that while the Father stood before me, the ultimate "customer" I sought to serve was his wife.  From the bread selection to the type of produce selected, our dialogue included his reference to what she could do with the items chosen.  This is another interesting correlation for many of us; we should always remember that our ability to truly meet expectations depends upon satisfying the needs of everyone who ultimately touches or uses our product or service. 

Principle: False Assumptions Can Result In Missed Opportunities

There were a number of additional customer satisfaction principles of note that I will save for another time;  however, it would be remiss of me if I did not remind everyone that we we should "never judge a book by its cover".  This could be damaging in both a personal and business context.

I have not mention that the gentlemen who approached me is a recent immigrant from Southern France.  He was carrying a crudely made cardboard sign and his spoken English was not very strong.   I saw people in the parking lot ignoring or waiving him away based upon appearance.  As he approached me, my first inclination was to give him a few dollars and be on my way.  I assumed he was begging for money until he corrected me, stating he wanted and needed a meal for his family.  Once my assumptions were corrected, the need assessed and understood, I was able to happily provide the service he and his family truly required.  In business, we sometimes make false assumptions about what will satisfy our customers.  We should always listen and seek true understanding.

While I ultimately left Publix with less money than planned, my return on the investment was worthwhile.  During our shopping and as we were leaving, the Father repeatedly expressed his thanks and wishes for God's blessing upon me and my family.  I count this as goodwill currency, as valuable to me as any other revenue I may receive.

Please share any comments you might have.  All are welcomed. 

You can read my original post and follow my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/marvinhightowerenterprises.  

If you are on Twitter, please also follow me, @marvhight.


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#CustomerSatisfaction
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#Blessings