What do Costco, North Royalton Post Office and My Dentist have in common
Hi, I’m Lisa and I’m a Costco-holic. (Hi Lisa). While I’m not a fan of most big box stores, a trip to Costco is an adventure I love. From the delicious food samples to the wide range of interesting products that, once discovered, we cannot live without, I enjoy the whole experience. But that’s not what makes me appreciate Costco. These are their people.
From what I understand, Costco treats its employees extremely well. They have more flexibility and earn higher wages than competing stores offer. And it shows. The staff are fun and ensure a pleasant trip. When Scott and I first became Costco members, I scoffed at the Kirtland branding that reigned throughout the store. (Really, is there anything Kirtland does NOT put a label on?) With complete and utter sincerity, the Costco employee I spoke with said, “There is NOTHING Kirtland makes that isn’t premium.” Wow, that’s a commitment . I felt her passion and found her absolutely right.
Now for the posts. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that most people don’t enjoy a trip to the post office. Face it, this isn’t usually a place where the employees are delightful, helpful and fun – except in North Royalton, OH. I had to deliver a package and I went out of my way, right next to a neighboring post office, to go to MY post office. It’s not that I’ve had terrible experiences at this other location, it’s just not a place where the employees go out of their way to make customers feel special or important.
Not so in North Royalton. The package I was shipping was in a “if it fits, it ships” box. Due to the size of what I was shipping, there was a very slight bulge on one side of the box. A visiting postal worker was looking after me and wasn’t sure if she was “allowed” to pick up the package. Her colleague, a postal worker who knows me by name, told her, “Of course we’ll take Mrs. Ryan’s package—we love her!” In a long line of people, the clerks treated each customer with the same respect, patience and courtesy as to me – and not one person complained about the wait.
Another customer handed Gary a notice to pick up a letter. She had received the notice quite some time ago and the post office had already sent the letter back. Gary actually apologized to her that the letter wasn’t there. Her response? “Sure, that’s what I decided. It’s not your fault. Thanks.” Courtesy, genuinely caring about customers and acknowledging their problems go a long way in creating raving fans.
Finally, my dentist. I found Dr. Craig Vinkovich the usual way – by going online and reading testimonials. The strange thing is that Dr. Vinkovich was one of the few dentists who actually had positive references. One trip to his office and I understood why.
I don’t like filling out forms. While they are a necessary evil, I find them annoying and repetitive, so I choose to have a little fun with them. For example, in the blank where they ask about children, my general response is “Do cats count?” When the forms ask if I’m pregnant, the answer is always “God, NO!” and so on. Honestly, I didn’t expect the form to be read at all, and certainly not in front of me. As luck would have it, Dr. Vinkovich read my entire form while I was sitting in the chair – and he laughed. And then he laughed some more. I knew I had found the perfect dentist – one who was not only good at what he did, but also had a great sense of humor.
The other reason I love going to his office is the people he hires. It breaks my heart that his receptionist/office manager, Sandy, is moving to Florida, but I know that based on experience, he will hire the perfect person for the position. Sandy is great. She greets patients with a smile and warmth that makes them feel like the most important person on the planet. Because of her continued amazing attitude a few years ago I sent her a thank you. To this day she thanks ME for sending it. Little things make a HUGE difference.
So what do Costco, the North Royalton Post Office and the office of Dr. Craig Vinkovich have in common? Employees who are absolutely delighted to patronize these businesses. After all, when employees are treated well, they take better care of their customers. Those employees who feel valued and appreciated, who know they are contributing to the organization’s mission and enjoy their work, do their best to provide customer service that reigns supreme over the competition.
I’ve been through other warehouse style stores, multiple post offices, and fired several dentists in my life (for reasons I definitely won’t share here), and I choose to give my hard earned money to people who make me feel valued, appreciated and special for their selection. don’t you
Take a moment today to salute the people who make your business great—both your customers and your employees.
Also, please feel free to share how your positive experience with your company’s employees has turned you into a loyal, raving fan. Thank you!
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