Be Torchy’s

Deep within the pages of my book Be Ready To Dance With Your Customer you will find a great story on one of the businesses worth mentioning. It’s a local taco place in Austin Texas, and, at that time, it was memorable enough to earn a page in my book with respect to the way they were treating their customers, front to back.

 

That being said, may I also refer you to another section further along in the book regarding Consistency. Yes, consistency IS key. What happens when you’re doing well enough to have line-ups every day at lunch and a loyal, smiling, happy following plus referrals? What happens after you have expanded to serve even more customers and put all your effort into the opening or ‘beginning’? Good question. Here’s the answer.

 

Never ever compromise on the quality of service and product as you move forward. Be grateful enough to your clientele to uphold the best, the “why” they brought you to the top of the (giant) hill. Continue to treat them with respect, continue to listen, continue to do your absolute BEST. Just like you did to earn your place of recognition with them in the first place.

 

What happens when you do? Easy. You stay successful which begets even happier, smiling, loyal followers. But NO excuses. Even when its rough, even when you’re suddenly down on a few key staff members, even when your major product supplier had a break down somewhere 100 miles away. Because through it all you will continue to communicate and try you best with The Customer. And they will know. By the way, those are the true moments that prove what your worth, breathe deep and move harder and get through it not around it.

 

Now, lets go back and visit Torchy’s. I managed to patron their establishment this week, it has been a while. A new girl is being trained on the order station inside the entrance. I have special requests, she has trouble with her system and has to start over, the process takes a while. On purpose I get frustrated but she handles herself very well, her desire to take care of me right never leaves her. As I sit and wait I watch the other patrons bite into their lunches, smiling and nodding, not a one on their phone while doing so, simply enjoying this moment. Trust me this means something. A server brings my lunch (delicious as usual I might add) and here I must give him the gears a little. I state that I had trouble ordering and let him know that if any of those tacos have ANY form of mayo they are going back. My server (and his smile) freezes with said tacos on a tray in his hands. “I’ll be right back”, he says, “I will check with the kitchen for you and absolutely make sure". Wow. Now I’m smiling too. And, guess what? He came back lickety-split, with a bigger smile, handing my lunch graciously over to me with a simple “Yes ma’am, everyone got your order right”.

 

Alright, so why am I sharing this long story of tacos? Besides the fact I have too many stories to share of Customer Service Care that should be called Customer Service Don't Care? Because so many businesses do not understand Consistency in quality of Customer Service, so many. Too many businesses I frequent somehow forgot how to KEEP holding on to their precious clients. It’s called complacency. Don't do it.  Not, at the very least, if you want to continue to win. And grow. And be even more successful. Just my opinion.

One more thing, take a look around at your own establishment. Are your customers happily involved and ‘engaged’ in your product or service? Or are they distracted or focusing instead on other things? How can you change that? Well, for starters, read my book. Observe. Then practice. Then practice some more. Keep working on it.