Customer Service Matters

2012-01-05

Doesn’t Thanksgiving seem like a lifetime ago? It does to me. My mom and I opted to eat at a restaurant this past Thanksgiving. Well, actually, we eat at a restaurant almost every Thanksgiving, which is unthinkable to many people. This year, my mom and I chose to eat at a nice restaurant in Kansas City, which is about an hour from our house. Our meal consisted of three courses: soup or salad, a main course, and dessert. For dessert, my mom chose the Thanksgiving classic: pumpkin pie. I, on the other hand, choose to think creatively and ordered a slice of apple pie. Now, the apple pie I had wasn’t just any ordinary apple pie. It was the most delicious pie in the world. My mom’s pumpkin pie was good, but it was no match for the mouth-watering apple pie. Being the nice guy I am, I let my mom have a few bites of my apple pie. (But I didn’t let her have too much. It was, after all, the best pie I have ever tasted). As we finished our meal, the manager stopped by our table and asked how the food tasted. We said that it was delicious, and my mom commented that she should have ordered the apple pie. A few minutes later, the manager reappeared with a piece of apple pie in a to-go container. He placed it on our table, told us it was free of charge, and politely walked away.

Believe it or not, but getting this free piece of apple pie will probably bring us back to this restaurant next Thanksgiving. The manager showed an interest in us and performed a nice gesture, which made us feel valued. His actions epitomize effective customer service. In DECA, we also have to remember customer service. Everyone involved with DECA is essentially a customer. We need to be constantly striving to impress business leaders, legislators, judges, our advisors, and even our peers. We must make these people feel valued and appreciated. Undeniably, as DECA members and leaders, we must be customer-service oriented.

DECA Wishes,

Micah Melling