Entering a famous fast food chain, I had expected to receive the quality service they promised in just one minute. I ordered my food and the counter crew pressed a timer to show me how fast she could serve me. She had confirmed and reconfirmed my order and several other crew members helped to punch the receipt, receive payment and fetch the goods. However, at 59 seconds, the crew that had originally taken my order stopped the clock. My order was not ready yet and I did not receive it for at least 30 seconds more. I pointed out what she had done and she did not say a word and kept smiling at me, giggling between her teeth. She did not acknowledge her wrong-doing nor offered any explanation. The worst part was, when I got home, the takeout order was wrong. This triggered me to really set the record straight. I called the store and relayed to the manager what had happened. She kept apologizing for the crew and offered to deliver the correct product. At my doorstep, she insisted that the product be given as a peace offering.

    On a separate trip to the same fast food outlet, I was again faced with this one minute service. And again, they failed to deliver my order within that time frame. But this branch had to be admired for their diligence and honesty. At 50 seconds, they were resigned that they could not meet their goal. The crew members then lined up in front of the counter and apologized for the delay. They quickly gave me a ticket for a free sundae cone. I had to wait close to a minute more, but I didn't mind at all. After all, I was faced with honesty.

    What did my experience teach me? That customer service need not really go bust. I could have judged that fast food chain with false marketing and poor customer service and taken my business elsewhere, had I been treated the same for a second time. However, with the difference in treatment of the second branch, I realized that the first outlet has to invest a lot more in training its crew.

    Every customer expects to be treated fairly. That is the least treatment that we could give a customer. When we get more attention and pampering from an establishment, it makes us feel good. It even makes us feel better that we are served with a smile. That is what customer service is all about - making the customer feel like a king. And what about their gesture makes us satisfied - their consideration of how we feel and their sincerity in caring for our welfare. And that is what customer service is all about.

    When you go to the biggest department store chain in the Metro, don't you feel offended that the saleslady is busy chit-chatting with her co-employs instead of offering you some assistance? I do. And it is not a matter of wanting to be served, for I am a very independent shopper. It irks me that even if they see you struggling with the merchandise you have to sort, they just look your way and go on with their session. Unless you call their attention, they won't budge an inch. This is a typical example of lack of consideration for a customer's needs. These salesladies probably need an orientation on their existence on the selling area.

    At the same store, each aisle you pass by, you will be greeted with "Good Morning, Ma'am." It's not a bad practice, mind you. But it would be worth doing only if this was done with sincerity. The problem is, everything becomes just "robotic". It's like you have programmed all the salesladies to greet the next living thing that comes along. It doesn't serve its purpose. It is reduced to just lip service, nothing more.

    Customer service is a big concern of every company. If this were not so, you would not have a need for a department to represent it. These same companies realize that without the patronage of the customer, they would not be in existence. But what is often overlooked by top management is the need to constantly remind their service people about this. Any wrong actuation or ill-spoken word of a company representative makes it look bad for the company. Before a front liner goes to battle, equip him with the proper decorum to handle a customer. Teach him to look the customer in the eye when speaking or being spoken to - the eye contact marks his words with sincerity. Train him to find better ways to improve the service being given. This quality makes one store more attractive than another.

    I no longer buy from the first fast food outlet but have not totally abandoned patronizing the other stores. But sometimes, customers would not be that discerning. In the Philippines, it is a prevalent attitude to abandon a product after being let down. We generally don't know how to complain but we drop our loyalties fast after being wronged. The quality of people, equipped with the proper decorum, speaks a lot about its leadership. So if you want to keep your customers, breed consideration and sincerity. It's an investment that goes a long way by word of mouth.