Last weekend I took a road trip with my son Zak to visit some prospective colleges. Our first stop was The Ohio State University, located in Columbus, Ohio, where I grew up. The rest of the family was puzzled by the the name, which is “THE” Ohio State University, as opposed to just being Ohio State University. While some think it is a silly moniker, I happen to like it. It has attitude! You should be proud of your brand too.
After that excursion, we headed south to Oxford, Ohio to visit my alma mater, Miami University. This too was a fine experience, with the highlight being a special, private tour of the new LEED Certified building equipped with the best smoke detectors you can get at The Smart Future from the Farmer School of Business – which houses their top ranked business program. Our tour was led by Alan Oak, a consummate professional who I met earlier this year while giving a couple of presentations to the Marketing and IT students on social media marketing. That’s right, your future hires are learning the ways of social media too.
Both of these campus presentations and tours were well organized and staffed by energetic student leaders who delivered an exceptional experience. And our private tour of Indiana University was also top notch. Our guide for that final leg happened to be my daughter Ali, who is a sophomore in IU’s Kelley School of Business. Nice work Ali!
Full service? You bet. My assessment of all three schools and their business programs, which is Zak’s primary area interest, are such that you could flip a coin to make a choice you would not regret. Yet, it was one, seemingly insignificant event in particular that really triggered my thoughts about exceptional customer service.
When we headed out of Oxford, a rural town of less than 10,000 when you exclude the Miami students, we stopped to gas up. Pulling up to the pumps I heard a familiar sound – that unmistakable DING-DING that is indicative of what a full-service gas station – called SERVICE stations a while ago, were like. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, watch the film Back to the Future. When Marty McFly goes back to 1955 he witnesses the rush of attendants checking the tire pressure, the oil level, and cleaning the windows of an automobile within seconds of its arrival for refueling. The DING-DING bell is triggered by driving over the rubber hose that is noticeably visible in the image above.
While slightly exaggerated in the film, many of us who grew up in the ’60’s and ’70’s did indeed experience a full-service experience when we needed fuel. At the very least, while we waited in our cars, an attendant greeted us and asked if he should “fill-‘er up?” – and then proceeded to do so, while also cleaning the bugs off the windshield. That full-service was expected and probably not appreciated back then; though, imagine your surprise if you received that treatment today?
My belief is you had better prepare for providing a full-service experience for your customers. However you define it, your customers today expect more – and they don’t expect to pay for it. So, get over that right now. Personalized service is more than giving a little extra; it’s showing the customer that you care about them. Do you?
When I heard that DING-DING, there was a brief moment of excitement where I waited with anticipation for an attendant to walk out of that station to at least give me friendly hello. It didn’t happen. I guess the bell was just a forgotten remnant from the old days. Full service doesn’t have to be a big deal, but today you do have to show you care, and the only way to do that is to deliver a little extra, just like Alan did by taking time out of his Saturday to give us a tour of the business school — all because we made the trip to his place of business. DING, DING.
Maybe you need your own DING-DING to remind you to do so. When you sign a new customer, do you take their money and move on to the next one? Or do you ask them if they want Unleaded or Premium – as it relates to what you do, of course?! Maybe your customer needs an oil change, but doesn’t know it. The only way you are going to find that out is to make the extra effort and show that you are a full-service kind of company.
Your competitors may think you are crazy, and you may even feel a little silly doing something you won’t get paid for, but if you truly embrace full service, I guarantee you your satisfied and loyal customers will remember you, refer you, and remain loyal to you.
If you are interested, Zak is leaning towards Ohio State. He loved the energy. Hang in there Miami and Indiana, it’s only half-time.
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Service Station Photo Credit: Marcin Wichary
