Customer Intimacy

Don the Bartender:

Don is a bartender whom I recently met while at a local restaurant.   When I first met him I was impressed by his affability.  After ordering a drink to have with my meal I wondered why it was taking longer than usual to be made.  It was on the early side of dinner time and the restaurant wasn’t very busy.  After all, it’s a simple concoction made with two ingredients.

Personal Service

As I turned to look down the long bar where Don was standing, I wondered what he was doing as I saw him mashing something into a bowl.   He then presented me with my drink.  It tasted differently than usual but fabulous and I shared that fact with him.  “Rather than pour one of the ingredients from a can,”  Don explained, “I used natural ginger and club soda.  It tastes a whole lot better and is healthier for you!” 

The Customer 

As I was about to leave I handed Don my credit card to pay my bill.  He returned it, thanking me by name which initially caught me by surprise as I hadn’t been introduced to him.  I quickly realized of course that he must have seen my name on my card.  Nevertheless I thought that it was a nice touch.  Weeks later I saw Don and I relayed to him that I had dinner one night when he wasn’t working and the bartender mixed my drink from a can.  Don smiled, looked me squarely in the eyes as he leaned forward and said, “Al, it’s all about the customer!” 

Lessons for realtors

As I think about it, this is what I was reminded of  from my experience with Don:

1.  Just do the right thing by placing the customer’s needs first and it will always pay dividends.  Although it took longer to prepare and more effort on his part, Don knew that the drink he made would taste better.  However he had no idea that I’m a health guru and having natural ginger in my drink is a “double win” for me.

2.  Calling me by name before being introduced is a simple thing but it added a personal touch to my dining experience and is one more aspect of his service that separates him from most restaurant waiters and waitresses.

3.  Knowing that “it’s all about the customer” makes Don’s night more rewarding and profitable, and it benefits the entire team at the restaurant in that it generates more business for everyone.

As realtors we have every bit,  if not more, to gain if we remember to always keep our focus on the aspirations of our clients.  See http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/how-to-avoid-irrelevance-guaranteed/

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