For all of the negative news and complainy customer service
stories we are bombarded with on a daily basis, there are quite a few remarkable
silver linings proving that people among us still strive to make a
difference. Small and big. For all of the rants smattered on social media from
disgruntled customers, there are also glowing reviews and stories of
exceptional customer experiences that, unfortunately, get lost in the shuffle. For
every nasty passenger clapping about a child getting thrown off a plane for
allergies, there is a flight attendant walking a crying baby down the aisle to
give weary parents a break.
And then there’s this latest gem from coffee behemoth,
Starbucks.
Here’s the abridged version for the sake of time. A 23-yr
old, deaf patron of a Leesburg, VA Starbucks, would typically type his order
into his phone and then show it to the barista who usually helped him during
his weekly visits. However, one random day, when he walked in expecting to go
through the same drill, he was instead met with a barista who took his order in
sign language. She then passed him a note that read,
“I’ve been learning [American Sign Language] just so you can have the
same experience as everyone else.”
If that doesn’t give you the feels AND show that amazing
things happen when people take the time to tap into their customers’ needs and
do what they can to give them the best experience possible, I don’t know what
will.
The patron was shocked, thrilled and eager to share his
experience on social media, asking others to share as well and broaden exposure
for support of the deaf community.
This is a stellar example of how great companies teach
everyone to act like an
owner. Acting like an owner is exactly what this particular barista did –
she took it upon herself, as if the coffee shop were her own – to go out of her
way to make a certain customer’s experience the very best that it could be. No
holds barred… including learning a whole new way to communicate. It’s also the
ultimate example of the power of great customer experiences, and a great
demonstration of how and why all brands should be striving for the same level
of customer interaction.
That incredible Starbucks barista deserves major kudos and
probably doesn’t even realize the true impact she had. We should all try to be
a little more like her!
What customer
experiences inspired you this week? Tweet me @GaryMagenta using #CreatingaKillerCX
and tell me about them!
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