Moments That Matter

This is exctly what customer service, social media and just down right being good is all about. I love this post! Short, sweet and from the heart! Thank you for sharing!
@KeithBurtis

Pay it forward baby! Makes for a healthy community and that's what social media is all about.

Thanks Chris, as always.

Dave

A lot of what I am about TODAY and many people who matter most to me in the social media sphere are the direct result of you offering me a discount on your new marketing summit last fall. I asked, and you responded.

I've thanked you previously, but as a moment that matters, you are a shining example to me. Thanks again!

I agree, Chris. Moments like these do matter! It's the little way you can help your customers that makes them really talk about you.

I think customer satisfaction is the most important thing we can do in business transaction. The more I go through my days, the more I take in account every person I meet and how we treat each other. Personal care and attention is so critical.

I'm still pretty upset about how I was treated by a Target employee during the Christmas season, and even after filling out the survey, I still never received a reply. At the same time, I clearly remember a recent dinner at Fat Tony's here in WIlmington, NC, where I had a top notch waitress who clearly understood the importance of professionalism and attention.

Thanks for this post Chris and honoring people like James who got the extra mile!
Bambi
OutImpact.com - Making a positive impact in the gay community. Make yours.

Chris -
I hope James sees this post. Because it's important we recognize those that go out of their way to help up. Good job!

Expressing gratitude is essential. Everyone feels good after a pat on the back, and after performing a good deed. So, let's be heroes and do both!

James Lewis and people like him are the catalyst of customer loyalty. Reading the story it's clear he would do this for anyone. You can really see how kindness, empathy and support make a huge difference. Saying "thank you" like this a great way to pay it forward too. James is no doubt a major contributor inside Panasonic with such a great attitude.

Of course he would help you. Your karma credits are falling out of every pocket on you, and then some. Not to take anything away from James, his goodness recognized yours. Now I can't wait to hear about Brandy!

Thank you for sharing a positive customer service experience. So often, people use blogs and social media to highlight poor customer service. It is always refreshing to see someone single out another for going above and beyond.

The moment you decided to share an "atta boy" is also a moment that mattered. Too often we are only willing to talk about when somebody did us wrong. Thanks for sharing "good" gossip.

People who go out of their way to help are great. I certainly do go out of my way to thank them, and I usually ask to speak to, or write to, their boss, so I can say how much they did for me. I've done that within the city government I work for, sending a note to another department complimenting someone when they've gone out of their way. It's not enough for me to let someone know what they did, and that I appreciate it. I like to let their boss know as well.

I had a very helpful person at my Credit Union when I took out a loan once. I sent her a thank you note, and a note to her boss. To this day, the staff at the bank, including the manager, say hi, ask me how I'm doing, show they know who I am. That wasn't why I did it - I wanted to say thanks. But, I'm sure the bank staff doesn't receive many compliments.

Just love stories about nice people, I was reading through my RSS feeder and all of a sudden your post popped up---and I thought--"how nice"...and it was!

Years ago I was calling companies about computers and seeing if I Could get there business. The first person I talked with was the receptionist and she was so upbeat and cheery that it caught me off guard, but right away I was cheered up. I was not able to get the sale but after talking with her boss I hung up and dialed the company right back to tell the receptionist how wonderful she was and how she had made my day with her positive voice over the phone. I told her that I had let her boss know that as well. But she ended up thanking me for giving her the compliment, but I assured her that the pleasure was all mine.

Contrast that to this organization:
Another A**hole Infested Hospital

i think it's become about more than customer service, the human factor--i.e. 'connecting'--is a powerful differential. we're tired of recorded messages and company drones who can't make an autonomous decision. we want authentic contact with the people and companies providing our goods and services; and with people in general.

when that happens, we notice. we notice and we *want* to share that warm fuzzy with our benefactor because it acknowledges the connection.

at least for me.

Hey Chris,

This is my first visit to your site. And I am newer to the whole social network game... but enjoying and learning. I have been over on facebook posting some videos and blown away by the response, the connectedness I feel with others around the world, and deeply committed to being authentic. That is the beauty of social networking - it DEMANDS authenticity. And that is what I got here on your site. You authentic gratitude for James.

I once got a guy a promotion and a raise by giving him an authentic and very detailed compliment. I ended my comments with, "I hope you are taking care of this employee because he is taking care of your business." I got an email from the CEO of the company. I also later learned that my comments were forwarded around the entire company. You just never know what impact you can have by taking a few moments to express authentic gratitude.

Ok, ok, ok... Now that I wrote all that, I will have to follow through on this idea I have been putting off. There is a guy at the local Whole Foods who my boys (3 & 5 yrs old) love. We can't leave the store until we go find Brandon and say good bye. Why? Because Brandon remembers our names, lets my boys touch his mo-hawk hair, and takes awesome care of us... So, watch for a video on my Facebook page thanking Brandon... I will get some video of him with my boys...

Excellent customer service is so rare nowadays that when it does happen it really stands out in our mind and it makes such a difference to how you feel.

Acknowledging excellent service is a great way for receiving more of the same.

Yes, it is the little things that matter! A smile, a please, a thank-you, an excuse me! It's quite disconcerting to feel like common courtesy has gone the way of the dinosaur in today's society and I refuse to let it become extinct. This is not to say that sometimes I am tired, in a rush or just not thinking and don't extend that little thing that matters, and feel totally justified in being so. But it's when I offer a smile to a stranger who smiles back in acknowledgment of the unexpected gesture, or when I wait an extra minute or two for an elderly person to get into an elevator, or when i say hello, how are you to the checker in a supermarket, I am the one who truly benefits from these small gestures, feeing like I may have brought a moment of pleasure to someone else's difficult day, and that makes me smile!

Thanks for sharing this story especially at a time when I am enduring some major obstacles with a not-so-smooth transition. Your 'moment that mattered' is a testament of the impact of that little moment.

Chris: love to see you, or anyone, giving praise for good service. I hate to say it but more often than not our expectations are service will be bad. And the reason why is it usually it is. Companies should not discount the viral impact good service can have on it's sales and marketing efforts.

This is the stuff that Seth Godin preaches all the time. If you create and extraordinary experience for your client/customer they will remember and stay loyal to you. More to the point, in today's world of social media, they'll tell everyone else. This makes both James Lewis and Panasonic look very, very good.

Doing favors and good stuff for other people to generate ROI is, IMO, not the point, but the bonus. Doing stuff that helps other people is rewarding in its own right. You feel better, up, energized. You work/play better. What goes around comes around. You've added a positive ripple to the world. THat's the point, IMO. Cheers!

I'm consistently amazed how giving people are, especially people at the top. They say if you want something done, ask a busy person. This is a great example. Thanks for sharing :)

"Tomorrow, I’ll tell you a story about Brandy. "

I hear she's a fine girl.

(Yeah, like she hasn't heard THAT 8000 times before.)

Well his work got him blogged about.....the one thing that I find fasinating is how companies online will spend a ton on marketing and so little on client service when client service is the one place you can most easily gain on your competition. Help one person succeed and they will tell 10 others. Leave a person angry and they might tell a 100 others by just mentioning in there FB feed.

I just became a Client Account Manager at an internet marketing company in Houston - so this really hits home Chris. When someone calls with a problem or question - I try to "touch" them immediately. It can be a quick phone call or a short email. I just want them to know I'm here, they're important to me, and their situation is being addressed. Customer service is a lost art in these postmodern times.
@BrendaRoss

@chrisbrogan -

I think @KeithBurtis said it best - "Short, sweet, and from the heart."

I am taking a class in B-school (Kenan-Flager Business School - UNC Chapel Hill) now called Services Marketing. I tweeted about a JetBlue case study I was reading this morning. I was pleasantly surprised when I received a personalized DM in response from @JetBlue (within in 5 minutes of my post).

Great customer service always wins.

Thanks again for recognizing this individual at Panasonic.

DJ Waldow
@djwaldow