I am fed up with, and still amazed by how the mainstream media thrives on presenting news through negative filters.

Yesterday, when the Dow had its second biggest day in HISTORY, an online summary at MSN.com said something to the effect of , "Stocks have massive record gains; get ready for an equally massive drop on fears from jittery investors."

Give me a break! How about some reporting of how something is being done right…how a business or individual is taking control of their own destiny and getting positive results? Here’s one.

Hetta Malone sent this description of her great customer service experience, at Wendy’s.

 

Art:
I totally enjoy your weekly newsletters.  I particularly like the stories of success and lack thereof.  I recently had an experience that may be worthy of your newsletter.

I was racing around making my normal sales calls and did something I rarely do.  I was hungry and decided to pull into a Wendy’s that I knew was in the area, primarily because it was on the right side of the street.  Like many Wendy’s restaurants it was in a line-up with multiple other fast food choices.  Don’t know why I chose Wendy’s, just did.

Also don’t know why I chose to enter the place, when desperate enough for fast food I’d usually just do the drive-through option.  I walked in to a sea of smiling, welcoming faces.  It didn’t stop there . . . I noticed someone sweeping up crumbs, someone else polishing the tables and chairs, the place was spotless.  When it came time to order I was greeted warmly with a gentle try at an up-sell to one of their new products.  My tray came out and was handed to me by a server who genuinely invited me to enjoy my lunch.   Now they really have my attention.   

The experience started bordering on surreal.  I live in an upscale town known for it’s high-end restaurants, there are real lessons to be learned here at Wendy’s.  It gets better . . .

I’m so fascinated by the scene and the activity I decide to take a seat where I can watch the goings-on and the diner reactions.  I start munching on my hamburger and yes, sipping on their new product.  I watch people enter the place with the expected look of the over-extended and leave with decided brighter looks on their faces.  For this brief moment in the day, they are special! 

At that point a young employee approaches me and asks if I’d like a re-fill or anything else.  He also asks if I enjoyed my meal.  I declined anything more saying I had to be on my way at which point he offered to take my tray while wishing me a great afternoon.  When did that last happen to you at a fast food joint?

I walked out shaking my head.  You bet I’ll search that place out when I’m next in that area.  

When times get tough and there are many, many options the smart owners and managers will go back to the old standards that made our country memorable . . . unforgettable service!  What a concept.

Regards,

Hetta Malone

Great job, Wendy’s. Anyone else have some great service examples, on the phone or off? Perhaps service you experienced, or delivered?

Let’s hear some examples of positive situations…examples where people take control of their own destiny and MAKE positive things happens regardless of the market, environment, or naysayers.