Reading “The Key To Great Customer Service” on the Harvard Business Review’s website puts the meaning of great customer service into perspective. The author of the article explains how a woman working behind the counter at an Amtrak station saved the day for both her and her friend. The problem was solved because the Amtrak worker took direct responsibility for a situation and provided it with a simple solution.
What was the problem? The author had been staying at a friend’s house while they were away and had accidentally taken the apartment keys with her to the train station. Had she boarded the train with the keys, her friend would have been locked out of their apartment.
What was the simple solution? The woman at the Amtrak counter offered to hold the keys at the counter. She told the author to pass her personal cellphone number along to her friend who had lent the apartment out and explained that the friend could pick the keys up at the counter when they arrived back in town.
The gist of the article is that customer service begins in the hands of the people who are directly interacting with the customers. While the woman behind the counter at the Amtrak station didn’t have the authority to write a mission statement about customer service, she was able to take responsibility for a situation, and provide a happy ending for all involved.
The article presents a compelling question — is great customer service a trait that spreads from the top of organizations down towards the bottom, or one that begins at the bottom — where customers are seen on a day-to-day basis — all the way to the highest rungs of a company? Although it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where great service begins and ends in organizations, we do know that it’s something everybody wants and deserves from companies.
One of my favorite parts about working during summer, are the interns that join the STELLAService team. It’s awesome to see young college kids, eager to learn about what we’re doing, really try their hardest to contribute and change the way things are done here at STELLAService.
We recently brought on three new interns to join the STELLAService team! One of our new rockstar interns wrote an incredible cover letter and I wanted to share with everyone.
COVER LETTER:
I am writing to express my interest in the summer internship position at STELLAService. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you an experience in customer relations that had a profound role in shaping my views on business, sales, and service.
For two summers I worked as a clerk at an independent bookshop in Sag Harbor, New York. While my nominal duties were to work the cash register, customer service was an integral part of my daily routine as well as our business mantra. The store’s owners understood that their prices could never compete with the likes of Barnes & Noble or Borders, to say nothing of online vendors, but that customers were willing to spend a little more in return for knowledgeable and friendly service. We sought to make our customers’ book buying experience the antithesis of shopping at a large chain store and, to that end, we were instructed to warmly greet everyone in the store, recognize regular patrons and their preferences, make strong recommendations, and alert shoppers to in-house readings by authors. All prospective employees were required to take exams on literature prior to even being considered for the job and a variety of programs encouraged us to read new novels in order to keep up with our customers’ questions and tastes. The management insisted on not only a high level of literary knowledge, but also relied on us to create a congenial atmosphere. Aware that some may find a bookstore daunting, we strove to be approachable for advice and guidance.
Expertise and a feeling of welcome brought customers back month after month, despite the fact many of our patrons lived in communities that had access to less expensive, corporate book vendors. This taught me that people are willing to pay a little extra for excellent customer service. In an age when online competition has driven prices to near uniformity, a record of strong service can be the distinguishing factor in a customer’s decision to buy your product.
I believe this lesson is very applicable to the work that is done at STELLAService. In addition, I feel that I would be a strong candidate for this position because of my ability to identify needs, successfully multi-task, and rise to challenges. I’ve spent the past year honing my analytical skills at Vassar College where I received distinguished grades. I’m confident that I would make a beneficial contribution to your team.
Attached is a resume outlining my qualifications and achievements. Letters of recommendation as well as academic grades are available upon request. I look forward to speaking with you and discussing further options.
SENSAI STELLA INTERN!!!!
I found this to be an incredible summary of what we’re trying to achieve here at STELLAService. The e-commerce landscape is filled with companies just like the independent bookshop in Sag Harbor and we want customers to find those sites. We are evaluating a large spectrum of the e-commerce landscape because we understand that you don’t have to be a giant multi-million dollar shop to bring a great experience to your shoppers. At the end of the day it’s about being knowledgable about your product, friendly to your customers, and going above and beyond to help their needs.
Share with us your awesome intern stories! We are glad to have three new rockstars on board and it should be an awesome summer!
