Unexpected service can lead to customer loyalty

Friday, Oct. 5, 2007

Lagniappe, as defined in the American Heritage Dictionary, ‘‘derives from New World Spanish la ñapa, ‘the gift,’ and ultimately from Quechua yapay, ‘to give more.’ The word came into the rich Creole dialect mixture of New Orleans and is still used in the Gulf states, especially southern Louisiana, to denote a little bonus that a friendly shopkeeper might add to a purchase. By extension, it may mean ‘an extra or unexpected gift or benefit.’”

That beignet offered long ago is not the last lagniappe I’ve enjoyed, and subsequently I’ve learned that the concept of giving that extra measure is a powerful tool for creating positive customer and public relations.

Recently, I experienced such an unexpected bonus when I was checking out at Waldorf’s Borders bookstore. Finding the last paperback of a favorite author on the shelf, I was paying for my purchase when the cashier asked if I minded buying the hardback instead. Seeing my confusion, she explained that she had noticed earlier that evening the same title in hardback at half the cost in the bargain book section. She gladly retrieved it, presenting me with a savings both unexpected and pleasant.

Sometimes it’s not what you purchase, but how you’re treated that creates the lagniappe. That happened when my husband and I spent an extended weekend at Asheville’s Inn at Biltmore Estate in North Carolina in May. The fragrance of a fresh rose placed in a simple bud vase in our room each day re-created the gracious welcome I imagine the original owners, George and Edith Vanderbilt, offered their guests in the early 1900s.

More than a century later, I experienced similar thoughtfulness during a morning buffet. After our server poured my coffee, I stepped to the buffet table and upon returning several minutes later was puzzled to see a saucer covering my cup. My husband explained that the waiter saw my departure and immediately stepped over to cover the coffee so it would remain steamy hot for me.

Other recent extra-mile encounters with which I have personal knowledge or have been told about have included experiences with Owen’s Auto Body in Faulkner, Second Looks Books in Prince Frederick, Chaptico Market in Chaptico and Tires Plus in California. Each encounter shares common traits: a customer-oriented mindfulness, a helpful spirit, thorough product knowledge and a willingness to assist customers with all facets of a purchase, no matter how small or how complicated.

Aren’t you delighted when you frequent a business and they go out of their way to fit you into their service schedule, locate a misplaced article or take the needed time to fully and patiently answer your questions? You expect great customer service because that’s been your experience there. Are you willing to give your loyalty in exchange for that lagniappe?

Great customer service leads to strong customer loyalty, and customer loyalist experts such as Debra Schmidt or Jeffrey Gitomer will tell you that most businesses these days would choose a loyal customer over a satisfied customer any day. Why? Because loyal customers will stick with you, point others in your direction and be less inclined to leap to a competitor for any reason. Often, the only difference between competitors might be found in their treatment of their customers. When it comes to loyalty, ‘‘All things being equal, people will do business with people they like. All things not being equal, they still will,” claims John C. Maxwell.

So, how do you create customer loyalty? It begins as an inside job, from the top down, as an attitude. Savvy business owners know that their first customer is their employee, and caring for and about the people who work in their company becomes a model of how employees will take care of their customers.

Sometimes such a customer-oriented attitude simply can’t be taught. Jim Rohn explains when he describes a hotel’s ad that boasted, ‘‘We don’t teach people to be nice; we hire nice people.” Great customer service is similar to good manners; they’re offered naturally and out of respect. And when they’re missing, it’s like having the door slam shut in your face.

Too often, people tend to dwell on the negative experience. Let’s change our attitude as we devote this first week in October to recognizing the importance of customer service and honoring the people on the front lines of the service revolution.

As you celebrate Customer Service Week, apply the 1-11-55 principle positively. Rather than for every one person who has a bad experience telling it to 11 others who will each then tell five others, let’s instead generate 55 positive remarks and practice positive customer and public relations. I’d like to hear your positive examples; tell me how you experience lagniappe in Southern Maryland. E-mail karens@csmd.edu.

Upcoming events

Public Relations Individuals of Southern Maryland’s next meeting is its third annual workshop from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at the College of Southern Maryland’s Leonardtown campus focusing on how to help nonprofits with their promotional activities. Advance registration is available through Oct. 12.

Besides connecting marketing and public relations professionals, PRISM provides learning opportunities to help its members reach professional and personal goals.

For information, go to www.prismonline.info⁄events.html.

Karen Smith Hupp, theimmediate past president of PRISM, is the director ofcommunity relations at theCollege of Southern Maryland. She can be reached at karens@csmd.edu.