My customer experience while recently visiting an area restaurant not only reinforced this belief, but also provided an exceptional example of why companies should embrace a major #CustomerService trend for 2015.
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| Courtesy Stuart Miles FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
My last blog post focused on the increasing importance of "personalized service" as a competitive differentiator in the realm of customer care. As stated in the post, companies seeking to win the market must find a way to make their service feel more personalized and tailored to each customer. Achieving this requires leadership that views the customer as the heartbeat of its operations while understanding all business is personal and contains a human element.
Several days after publishing these thoughts, I dined at the +Blue Willow Inn Restaurant & Gift Shop with a group from our church. In the days leading up to the Blue Willow visit, thoughts around topics for my next blog post centered on social media's impact on customer service; however, my experience at the Blue Willow and a special person we met there compelled me to delay the social media article for a later date. The experience had such an impact, it pushed me to share more with my readers on the topic of personalized service.
~ It Felt Like Home ~
The Blue Willow Inn Restaurant is located in Social Circle, Georgia, approximately 45 miles from the heart of downtown Atlanta. Being nationally cited as one of the best restaurants in the Southern United States, my wife and I had long ago placed the Blue Willow on our list of "must do" dining establishments. When our church group chose the restaurant for an outing we were excited. We looked forward to finally making the short drive and seeing if the Blue Willow would indeed meet our lofty expectations.
Our experience within the restaurant did not disappoint. From the moment of our arrival, we were warmly greeted and made to feel "at home". This feeling was accentuated by the restaurant's interior design and decor. A dining environment that, while open to a degree, made one feel as if they were sharing a meal in their personal home with friends.
Even though the Blue Willow has a buffet service approach, the buffet was presented in such a manner that you did not feel as if you were lining up in a corporate cafeteria. The attention given to the food layout and flow of diners was such that it felt more intimate and personalized (there's that "p" word again....). To top everything off, the food was truly exceptional.
~ A Personal Service Angel ~
We enjoyed our meal so much, we decided to linger a while longer and visit the Blue Willow's Gift Shop. This decision led to our meeting a very special lady. Someone whom I view as being a true customer service angel. An angel with an innate ability to deliver personalized, customer experiences.
Before entering the gift shop's doors and being greeted with a cheerful hello, I had never met Judy Staples. Judy was very personable and engaging as our small group walked around the shop and checked out its interesting assortment of items. She asked where we were from and if we had visited before. She also provided additional information on the Blue Willow's history as well as details on any specific items in the shop that peeked our interest.
As we were winding up our visit, an item on the bottom of a small stand near the checkout counter caught my eye. It was a beautiful wooden and ceramic serving tray emblazoned with the logo of my beloved University of Georgia Bulldogs. Unlike other items in the shop, the tray did not have a price tag on it; therefore, I assumed it was not for sale. After some gentle persuasion from my wife, I decided to ask about it.
Judy's response to my inquiry about the tray left me temporarily speechless. Her reply.....
"It's not for sale, but you can have it....."
I could not believe what I just heard and could only respond with....
"Say what?..."
Judy went on to explain the tray was not priced for sale due to a couple of small, barely visible, cracks in the ceramic tile. However, she wanted to give it to me. She heard me state I was a University of Georgia graduate and wanted to bless me with the gift. Her response as I tried to say I could not accept was......
"Don't block your blessing."
With that, I was officially blown away. I stood there with goosebumps and a small lump in my throat due to the touching and very personal nature of her kind gesture. All I could do was give her a hug.
Judy's care for this previously unknown group of potential customers that entered her shop did not stop there. She also gave our group's leader a copy of Great Men Bow Down, a book authored by Gordon Lawrence. Judy stated she wanted to give the gift since she understood he was leader of our church group and believed he would enjoy it.
By now we were all amazed at the kind spirit and truly caring person that stood before us. Even though we had not purchased anything, Judy understood and plugged in to our personal wants and desires. The personal connection she made was emotionally tangible. It ensured our next visit as paying patrons of the Blue Willow will be one of many more to come.
~ Lessons Related To Personalized Service ~
Even though The Blue Willow Inn Restaurant and Gift Shop does not have the size and national presence comparable to Morton's The Steakhouse or other widely known brands, there are 4 key lessons in personalizing service that can be learned from their operating approach.
- Process flows that serve a large number of customers can be designed to give a more personalized feel.
The Blue Willow's buffet line serves thousands; however, their understanding of what customers expect when they dine in a cozy home environment helps them with layout and placement of food items. - Every touch-point is interconnected from the customer's perspective. Each is important in delivering a feeling of personalized customer service.
In addition to its buffet lines, the Blue Willow strives to provide a level of personal connection through the various contact points a customer experiences. It's dining rooms are adorned with pictures, memorabilia and other items customers in its target market might connect with. The restaurant's front porch includes large rocking chairs that convey a comfortable and personally welcoming "at home" feeling. A great experience in the restaurant might compel a customer to visit the gift shop where the feeling of being personally cared for continues. - Organizations that excel in providing the best personal service must have individuals who are genuinely sincere in their commitment to understanding and serving the customer.
You must deliver service in a manner that hits the mark based on customers' individual needs, wants or desires. Achieving this requires a commitment on behalf of every person who plays a role in shaping the overall customer experience. From executive management to the front-line service representative, you can't fake personalized customer service. Making the personal service connection requires the execution of policies, processes, and resulting actions that reflect a true understanding of what resonates with the customer on their level. - Leadership must ensure personalized service is woven into the organization's cultural fabric.
The Blue Willow Gift Shop's mission statement is shown below. The spirit of service reflected in their statement permeates its operations and is manifest in the personnel working there. As a result, customers are cared for on an individual level and their business continues to flourish. Creating a culture of personal care is critical to realizing the benefits of this increasingly important customer service trend.
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