My plane was hours late. I arrived at the hotel tired and cranky. A major head cold (and possibly fever) was brewing and worst of all I hadn’t eaten any dinner, and was hungry.
As I approached the hotel coffee shop I saw a woman at the cash register. She was counting money. I approached her and asked “You’re not closing, are you?” “Yes we are ma’am” she replied. My face must have involuntarily contorted into a look of horror, and she asked me “What’s wrong, dear?”
My inner four year old came out and I whined to this stranger “My plane was late, I have a cold, I haven’t eaten any dinner and I feel miserable.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, and our kitchen is closed for the evening. But..” she added “Would a cup of tea and some toast help? I can get that for you.” “Oh yes.” I said with an audible sigh of relief. As she walked to the door of the kitchen I ventured meekly “Whole wheat?”
Shortly she returned with a steaming cup of tea, whole wheat toast and a lovely selection of jams, and then asked if I wanted her to sit down with me while I ate. While I refused her generous offer of company, explaining that I thought she had best to go on home to her family, it didn’t go unappreciated.
I don’t remember her name. But she created for me, what we all should choose to be creating for our customers whenever they give us the opportunity to do so: A Moment of Magic.
A moment of truth, according to SAS Airline’s Jan Carlzon, is anytime a customer has the opportunity to make a judgment about the quality of service you are delivering. A Moment of Magic according to me, is any moment of truth you turn into a WOW for a customer. M.O.M. = WOW!
How many moments of truth could YOU turn into Moments of Magic every day? You can create magic by adding a more enthusiasm, more energy, more attention, more kindness, by giving a little something extra, telling someone sincerely that you appreciate them and their business and sometimes just by smiling and saying “Thanks for stopping in to see us.” Can you create a little Customer Happiness with a gesture of kindness?
When you leave work ask yourself “How much MAGIC did I create today?” We all have the power to change someone’s world.
