As I travel the country, it is amazing to see the differences in customer service. I really enjoy watching people who are so committed to their jobs that they can’t help but provide awesome sales and service. Last year, while working with a new client, JB, my VP of Operations, and I went to breakfast prior to going on site. There was nothing spectacular about the timing of the service. It was average. However, when it was it time to order, our waitress came alive. She made great recommendations about the new items on the breakfast menu. She sincerely suggested that we would love whatever item we ordered. I had no trouble taking her recommendation, and she was right! It was good. This is not the amazing part. At the end of the breakfast, she came to the table and expressed how glad she was that we chose to have breakfast with her – and then came the amazing part.
This gal invited us to lunch! How cool is that? How many times have we taken the opportunity to invite someone to come back and see us tomorrow? It was awesome. She had no thought to the fact that lunch was only 3 or 4 hours from the time we had breakfast.
It seemed perfectly natural to her that we would have to eat lunch, and why not come back and have lunch with her? After all, they have a new lunch special that included 3 terrific new menu items. She shared her favorite choice and seemed genuinely concerned about our ability to get a good lunch.
I’ve been a sales person all my life, and I know that people hesitate to “ask for the order” because they are afraid of rejection. I’m telling you, this gal had no fear. She knows we have to eat lunch, and she’s got nothing to lose by inviting us to have lunch with her. It was personal and sincere.
We did not eat lunch with her that day. Our client is a restaurant, so it was most appropriate to have lunch with them. But I will tell you, I know where I’ll eat breakfast again when I’m in Lawton, Oklahoma – Cracker Barrel. I encourage you to invite everyone you meet, eat, or play with to come back on a daily, weekly, or at least monthly basis. People love a sincere invitation to return. Make it your mission to invite someone to come back tomorrow!
