Customer Service Is About Actions Over Words

A story of being surprised and delighted by an elite act of service

If you’re reading this then you likely know that I believe in a philosophy that states Life Is Sales. We are all selling all of the time, and once we embrace that reality, we can use it to our advantage to get what we want out of life. 

I also firmly believe that Sales Is Service. Providing positive experiences, helping others get what they want, and developing genuine relationships with people are the foundation of sales and service. Abide by this and it will lead to personal and professional success—I believe that.

Customer service has been on my mind recently as I was the recipient of an elite example and unforgettable experience. I briefly shared the story on LinkedIn but wanted to expand on it as I’ve continued to think about how the situation affected me and the role that customer service plays in our lives. 

Actions > Words

Lots of companies talk about being customer-centric and putting the customer first. But to really do this, it takes more than words – it takes actions. Don’t talk about it, be about it.

At LYONSCG, we lived by the mantras of “Customer First” and “One Team.” We rewarded employees each week for going above and beyond for customers. We strove to be 100% referenceable—paying attention to every interaction, meeting, email, and so on. We tried to put ourselves in our customer’s shoes, to understand their world and their problems so we could help and serve them. Our “One Team” mantra was about being an extension of their team and even a part of their team so we could help them to be successful. It was a rewarding philosophy for us in so many ways.

With so many touchpoints in our modern world, it can be challenging for companies to connect with customers in a truly personalized way and deliver memorable moments. It’s much easier said than done.

Surprise and Delight!

I was attending Shoptalk in Las Vegas and staying at the Four Seasons Hotel. I travel with two pairs of reading glasses, and while catching up on emails, I noticed that one of the temples on one pair was loose and actually then came all the way off. I found the screw in my glasses case, and I was going to fix them later as I actually have a small glasses screwdriver in my briefcase. I used my other glasses for the moment and then ran out for a meeting.

I returned late after meetings and happy hours and dinner and went right to bed. The next morning, I noticed a piece of paper on my nightstand next to my fixed glasses with this handwritten note:

Talk about being surprised and delighted. This was totally unexpected. Not only did it solve my issue and save me time, but it also made me feel so great. Someone went above and beyond to take the initiative to actually fix my glasses (plus left me a very cool Four Seasons branded cleaning cloth). They put themselves in the customers’ shoes (mine!) and thought about how they could make someone’s day a little bit better. A reminder that small details make the biggest impact. I’ll never forget this elite customer service, and you’re darn right I’ll be back to the Four Seasons in the future. 

Create a Culture of Positivity

I’ve continued to ponder this situation from both sides of the coin. 

From the company perspective: Clearly, the Four Seasons has built an intentional culture of positivity. As a former business owner and CEO, I know that this starts from the top, so shout out to the Four Seasons leadership for instilling the value of customer service in their teams all the way down. I did give the resort a great rating, and I did (of course) hear back from the manager of the Four Seasons, thanking me for my rating and the acknowledgment. 

From the consumer perspective, I obviously left the experience feeling great and have been sharing the story with others in person and online. It can be too easy and unfortunately too common for people to share their negative experiences in the world, whether verbally, on social media, or otherwise. We must fight the instinct to do that and instead be more aware of the positive instances in our everyday lives and share these more often. 

Serving Others Serves Yourself

You know what was also a byproduct of the Four Seasons experience? It had me so refreshed with positive energy that all I wanted to do after this was keep the cycle going and pass it on to someone else. I felt good and wanted to then make others feel good. That’s the real secret here when it comes to customer service.

I encourage you to think about how you can surprise and delight others, both at work and in life. How can you anticipate someone’s needs and make them happy? It doesn’t have to be a big grand gesture; doing the little things right can change someone’s day or more. Stay positive, and don’t forget: Sales Is Service, and Life Is Sales!

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