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.
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.” When you leave work ask yourself “How much MAGIC did I create today?” We all have the power to change someone’s world. Do it in a magical way!
