Just Give `Em the Pickle!

In this era of progress, customer service is a lost art.  That might seem like an obscene thing to say, as you might be able to recall the sales clerk you have a tendency to ask for, or the waiter you like to have serve you, but have you ever thought to ask yourself why to prefer to have these people wait on you?  Is it due to the fact they truly are attentive, or is it that their co-workers aren't as attentive.

If a person is to succeed in customer service, they have to be willing to give `em the pickle.

Don't laugh.  I know what I'm talking about.  Or, more specifically, Bob Farrell does.  He's the founder and former owner of Farrell's Ice Cream Parlors.   He's now a motivational speaker, and he got his start as a speaker due to a letter from an irate customer.  The man was upset, as he'd always requested an extra pickle, and all of a sudden, the girl at the register wanted to charge him for it (a ridiculous fee, to boot.)  He walked out of Farrell's, swearing never to return.  Mr. Farrell not only personally answered the man's letter with an apology, he sent a good amount of coupons, imploring for the man to return.  But no one tells the story as well as Bob Farrell:

As he said, he, an extremely wealthy man, is constantly learning from those he talks to.  And Farrell has learned over the years:  One does not have to be in retail, or a restaurant business, in order to 'give `em the pickle.'  It doesn't even have to be a money-related thing a person does.  But we are all capable to handing out pickles in one form or another.

Before you crack  you don't like pickles, or  I'll probably give you dill and you only like sweet or vice versa, think - - - it not only is nice to have someone do something for you, it also never hurts to take the time to do something for someone.

So just give `em the pickle.