When we are busy and challenged at work however, if asked to do an unusual task or provide something not included on the normal menu or list of services, far too often we default to "no", instead of stopping to consider if we can reasonably accommodate the request. Practically speaking..... it's impossible to make every request happen, but stopping to think outside the normal scope, "can we provide what they are asking?", may lead you to find a workable solution. Instead of feeling slighted, the customer may wind up thinking you are the greatest business on the planet.
Once I asked a local restaurant if they could, with advance notice, make a family-style meal in a large size. I wanted to deliver dinner to a friend's house and thought nothing would be better than a wonderful pan of Lasagna or casserole from a popular area business. I understood they didn't normally offer such items, but thought perhaps with enough advance notice, it might be possible. Instantly, without checking with the owner, the employee replied "nope, we don't do that". Sure, maybe the question had been asked previously, and the restaurant found the logistics of such orders simply unsuitable for their operations, but they didn't say that....just a curt "NO".
I assumed there was a reason they could not accommodate my request, and found another solution. However....decades in retail taught me that if you CAN thrill and delight the customer, DO. Going the extra mile - when it is reasonably possible - can elevate your brand to superhero status in the eyes of your consumer, and will leave a lasting, positive, impression.
Sincerely,
Andrea Baumann
Marketing Delmarva
Growth strategies for small business & nonprofits; community-centered
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