Yes, I Can!

I purchased eyeglasses from Target Optical last week, and when I called to see if my glasses were ready, a very pleasant gentleman answered the phone. The call went something like this:

"Target Optical" (nice and to the point)

"Hello, I was wondering if my glasses are ready for pick up."

"I can check on that for you. May I have your name?" (provided name)

15 seconds later...

"Mrs. Snider, it would appear that your sunglasses are here, however, I don't see your glasses. If you don't mind holding for just another moment, I can check another spot for you."

"Certainly."

15 seconds later...

"Hello, again. I don't see them there, either, but there is one more place they might be if they were delivered this afternoon. Do you have time to stay on the line while I check?"

"Sure."

"I don't see them there either, which means they haven't arrived. We do have your sunglasses, so if you were planning on a trip to Target anyway, they are here for you. I am going to make a call to the supplier to determine the status on your glasses. I can call you back when I get that information. May I have your phone number?"

"OK. I appreciate it." (provided phone number, pleasantries and completed call)

Within 30 minutes I had a voicemail indicating my glasses would arrive in 2 days.

Wow. An impression made in less than a minute. I asked for service, the Target team member owned it, saw it through, and delivered an answer, all while providing the greatest respect for my time. The answer I received was not optimal, of course I would have preferred the glasses were in. The fact that I received an answer, and didn't have to call repeatedly or be left hanging as to status, from an individual that engineered my satisfaction by treating me with respect and friendliness, surpassed my expectation regarding delivery.

People, for the most part, don't expect perfection. They want to feel they are important and in the loop as it pertains to a service issue they are experiencing. They want to know somebody's "got their back" and isn't going to pass the ball, or worse, drop it.

Communication is key. See it through. Make sure every resident you serve gets an answer and is kept updated on an issue's progress. No news is, to the client, not good news. Let them know what you can do...not what you can't.