Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Service Experiences

Does Service Matter?

To some people it doesn't.  They are bottom line price.  I get it.  Some people need it to be like that right now and some people don't care about service.  Not me.  The older I get the more I really treasure good service.  The world we live in really is getting further and further from service.  We do so much business on the phone, over the internet, and even through text now that there isn't as much need for face to face service.  Evey once in a while though I encounter a place that has amazing service and it really does make me a customer for life. 

I love coffee.  I do.  I don't need it like most people, and it is not one of those things that keeps me awake if I am tired.  It relaxes me.  It makes me feel like a grown up when I am with my kids all the time doing silly kid things and it is comforting.  It may be because I am more of a flavored coffee or tons of cream kinda gal but it is a treat to have a coffee.  My wonderful husband recently bought me a Keurig single cup coffee maker and I love it.  BUT I will still go and get a cup of coffee at the Grimes Amici when I am passing by there.  Why?  Because of the service.  The manager is a gentleman named Luke and if you ever need to know what customer service is - go meet him.  He is truly THE example of how to get a customer for life.  First of all he is incredibly friendly.  I have never seen the guy in a bad mood, he lifts my spirits every time I see him.  The thing that really impressed me is that if you go in there 2 or 3 times - he knows you.  Heck!  you don't even have to go in there - if you use the drive thru he will know your car and your voice!  He is invested in you.  He knows your name and what you drink.  He is genuine and he really wants to know who you are.  He is good at making suggestions and makes a great cup of coffee as well.  I have never met anyone in there who is not in a good mood - employee or custumer and I think it is because of the leadership and ambiance that Luke brings to the coffee shop.  Don't take my word for it - go meet him. 

Another local place that has knocked my socks off... my dentist.  WHAT?  Yuck right?  Yes, I hate going to the dentist as well.  I get anxiety about it.  I don't like the sound of drills, and those needle things poking my gums.  If I have to get some dental work done bring on the GAS!!!  Well Grove and Platt Dental Associates has changed that.  Talk about a different dental experience.  You walk in and it is comfortable.  They have a drink station with a fridge of water or coffee.  There is a nice big fish tank to keep your mind off of what is coming, and they have a little room with toys and a tv for the kids.  Then when they call you back - this is what blew my socks off - you get a paraffin hand treatment.  Wait!  Are we at the Spa?  No - the DENTIST.  They dip your hands in comforting warm wax and then wrap them up and put mitten on you while you are getting your teeth cleaned.  The cost?  Nothing.  Just something they like to do for you. How great is that?  Also everyone in that office is incredibly nice.  3 year old Brady has been there a few times and he had absolutely great experiences.  I am so glad we take him there because it will mold the way he feels about his dental hygiene.  Really a wonderful experience all around. 

I also want to tell you about my Pharmacy.  2 years ago we decided to switch Brady's prescriptions from a big name national pharmacy to our local one.  Why?  Brady is on a lot of medications, he has Cystic Fibrosis and we fill about 10 prescriptions a month - when he is healthy.  Unfortunately the pharmacy we were with was a big pain to deal with.  They ignored us, didnt call us back, didn't explain things, were rude to us, etc.  The final straw was they forgot to refrigerate one of his medication it spoiled.  Oh, wait, this happened 3 times!  The medication is one that costs about $3K a month.  It didn't cost us anything in regards to money, but we had to go a day or two without it while they got a replacement in.  It didn't seem like a big deal to them so we decided to try another place.  We moved everything over to the MediCap in Grimes.  I truly had no idea what it was like to really work as a team with my Pharmacist until I met Andrew and his team.  They are amazing.  Not only did they take the time to get to know us and Brady but they go above and beyond in every way.  I have never ever had an issue with any of the medications.  They are explained fully and it is made sure I understand how to administer everything.  They will enhance flavor and color his meds if that helps him take them.  I have not had to deal with my health insurance carrier when it comes to prescriptions since we moved them there.  They take care of it all - calling the doctors, getting things refilled, reautorizations - everything.  If we go out of town and need to get things earlier then we normally do it is not a problem, they explain it all to the insurance company.  Andrew has even went out of his way to figure out where I could get a special vitamin that Brady needed that he didn't carry.  I know all of this takes up a lot of their time and they do not need to be that involved with it but I am so so so Thankful that they do!  It is such a stress reliever to have them helping me with his CF meds.  The pharmacy the we were with before this tried very hard to entice us back - even offering us $50 for every prescription we switched back to them.  Will I ever go back?  No way.  Not when I feel like I am being taken care of by a team that really cares for my child.

Are there other places out there like this?  Of course - these are just my favorite places.  I like convenience as much as the next person but when I feel like a company really cares about me and is looking out for my best interest I am willing to pay more for that service.  I really like that our Insurance agency isn't a huge corporation.  I have never had a problem with the 4pm on a Saturday phone call from someone buying a new vehicle.  11pm calls about a claim - I am glad they know that they can call us to talk them through the accident.  I love having clients into the office and enjoying a glass of wine of beer with them when they get off of work and want to review some coverages.  Need to pick up a payment?  No problem I can meet you at your place of work.  Give me a few refferals and I will bring home made cupcakes to your office.  We truly do value each and every player that we work with at Gustafson Insurance Team.  We would like to think that we are able to provide some unique and personal experiences that you may not be able to get elsewhere.  We also pride ourselves in helping you figure out the best insurance for you.  It may not always be the "cheapest" but it is important to make sure you are covered properly.  I look back at the different business that I admire and I think about thing that I can take from each of them to incorporate into GIT and make it better.  I would love to save our players money but my daily goal is to help create an experiance that doing business with me was worth while even if it didn't save them money.