Running late for my appointment, I flew into the local barber shop for a haircut. Not noticing the typical Visa/MC sign in the window, I quickly apologized—telling the barber that I’d have to come back once I’d gone to an ATM machine.
Without hesitation, Dell says, “Sit Down, Arrick. We’re all friends here.”
I did as I was told, sat down and proceeded to receive the perfect haircut. Once finished, I made my way to the closest ATM and settled up. Walking home, I couldn’t help but think about how he could have handled this differently.
We’ve all encountered that person who is just excited to say something negative. This barber was different. He didn’t worry about the money, he took the pressure off of me as if it didn’t even matter. He turned a customer into a friend and literally made me look forward to my haircuts now as a positive event—not a necessary errand.
Dell knew that it wasn’t about the $10. It was about putting a smile on a customers face. That’s what keeps us coming back. That’s what makes us tell stories. That’s how word of mouth marketing must begin, with a good positive experience that inspires someone to tell others.
-Arrick
arrick@spinweb.net
I had a similar experience recently.
I was also running late to an appointment. En route I recalled that I needed to have made copies which I had not made. I looked up the nearest kinkos, and drove the few miles out of the way to get there. The copies were only in an electronic format. I needed a flash drive which I did not have. The clerk recognized my need and provided a flash drive (so I wouldn’t have to pay $10 to use their wifi for 3 minutes). He transferred and printed the files. I made it to my meeting, prepared and on time.
Then he wouldn’t let me pay for them. It would have cost less than $2.
Granted, my need to print in a similar situation may not arise for a long time. However, I am now more loyal to FedEx Kinkos.
Is it likely that you’ll ever go to a different barber now, barring a cross country move?