Buzz Customer Service - Say it with a shot glass
In Buzz Marketing | 11 comments | permalink
Recently I posed a question based on customer service, as one of the main things I learnt from LA was that a high level of customer service can put you ahead of your competition.
This is something I have always believed, and to this day I reply personally to all the 300+ emails I get per day, something that as far as I am aware, no other guru does.
Why do I do this?
Partly habit, partly because it keeps my finger on the pulse of the community and industry, and mainly because I believe in giving a high level of service.
So, what did the waitress in LA do when we forget to tip?
She simply said nothing, lined up 7 shot glasses, and filled them up with a liquor.
One of our group got the glasses and was curious to know where they come from, so he asked her and she explained that we gave no tip, so perhaps her service was poor, therefore she was giving the shots as a way of making it up to us.
The truth of the matter is that us Brits rarely tip in bars, so whilst it is second nature to Americans, it is something we occasionally forget. (especially after a few bottles of wine)
The waitress could easily have complained, we have all heard horror stories of people being chased out of restaurants for not tipping, but she decided to rise above it and make a grand gesture…
TIP: Actions speak louder than words
When we found out, we gave her $10 for her troubles.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that this technique is probably a tried and tested technique, I am not naive enough to think that she 100% genuinely meant the gesture, it perhaps is even part of the staff training, but it worked, and hey, I am talking about it now, so it is customer service and buzz marketing combined.
So to the girl in LA, whoever you are, we thankyou for your kindness, and most importantly, we thank you for sharing a killer customer service tip with us that we can all apply to our businesses.
Bottoms up.
Dean
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11 COMMENTS
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Do You Feel the Buzz?
Dean Hunt puts the "buzz" in buzz marketing
..and the "viral" in viral diseases
Nice story! Giving away freebies to difficult or confused customers has always led to wonderful responses for us as well. It’s usually what the difficult or confused customer least expects!
FYI - As I recall her name was Ashley
The Dirkster
For those of you who asked what they heck we were doing in a sleazy bar… I should point out than only one hour earlier we had eaten at the Sky Bar in LA, which is one of the most exclusive places, and is where Paris Hilton often hangs out.
Expensive, but well worth it.
Anyway, the Saddle Ranch seemed like such a great contrast to the luxury of the Sky Bar, was fun.
Dean
Awesome article Dean (as usual).
We can all learn from this, and I really like how you make marketing and business lessons fun and entertaining.
Keep it up man.
Ste
Great thing to consider… It actually stunned me for a second thinking that a bar girl can come up with this great marketing technique, either she was truly kind or its just a marketing strategy.
By the way Dean, I found a spelling mistake in your first line. =) I sent you several emails but never got anything from your end. =(
Michael,
What email addy did you send to? I haven’t received it on my main one.
Dean
nice one Dean, its interesting to see how you pick out lessons from daily life happenings.
keep up!
She gave away freebies to build her list. Now will you come back ?
I sent it to contact@deanhunt.com
I knew it! I feel so proud for guessing right
Ben,
Great work, you get 10 points
If you get 100 points, you get a goldfish in a bag*
* Water may not be included.
Michael - try sending to deanhunt08@gmail.com next time. But the other one works fine for me.