I went into a phone shop to sort out a new mobile contract and was feeling less than enthusiastic about it. I knew from previous experience that it was going to be a long and painful process. Imagine my surprise, however, when I left the shop twenty minutes later, with a smile on my face, having gotten exactly what I wanted. The girl who served me was delightful, knowledgeable and helpful. She knew what I needed and expedited it promptly and without pain.

Research suggests that if you have a bad experience you normally tell least 12 people. I thought about this, having enjoyed sharing my surprisingly good experience with a lot of my friends. I came to the conclusion that a good experience resonates a lot more powerfully when you aren’t expecting it. I certainly enjoyed sharing a positive experience a lot more than a negative one!

It made me think hard about the way we think about customer service; although we all want to receive it, we don’t always expect it. Is it the case nowadays that good customer service is always a surprise or an exceeded expectation? Why don’t we expect it if we think we are entitled to it?

Share on: