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Thread: Great Service is a Choice

  1. #1
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    Great Service is a Choice

    Nice story here, figured I'd share it with you guys and gals.

    No one can make you serve customers well. That’s because great service is a choice. Years ago, my friend, Harvey Mackay, told me a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point. He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey. He handed my friend a laminated card and said: “I’m Wally, your driver. While I’m loading your bags in the trunk I’d like you to read my mission statement.” Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: Wally’s Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment.
    *
    This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean! As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, “Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.” My friend said jokingly, “No, I’d prefer a soft drink.” Wally smiled and said, “No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.” Almost stuttering, Harvey said, “I’ll take a Diet Coke.”
    *
    Handing him his drink, Wally said, “If you’d like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.” As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card. “These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you’d like to listen to the radio.” And as if that weren’t enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he’d be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.
    *
    “Tell me, Wally,” my amazed friend asked the driver, “have you always served customers like this?” Wally smiled into the rearview mirror. “No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You’ll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, ‘Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.’”
    *
    “That hit me right between the eyes,” said Wally. “Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.”
    *
    “I take it that has paid off for you,” Harvey said. “It sure has,” Wally replied. “My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I’ll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don’t sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can’t pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.”
    *
    Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I’ve probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn’t do any of what I was suggesting.
    --
    Chris in Atlanta

  2. #2
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    Re: Great Service is a Choice

    Excellent story.

    Really does prove Customer Service is the one true thing that can earn people back.

    Gimmicks and all that may help but when all else fails, and sometimes do, you can still get them with customer service.

    Alex
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    Senior Member Tom_Turner's Avatar
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    Re: Great Service is a Choice

    FlyNavy - What is the source of that story?
    "Keep 'em Flying"

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    Re: Great Service is a Choice

    It is an excerpt from The Simple Truths of Service by Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz and was in our Delta Fleets newsletter this week.

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    Senior Member Tom_Turner's Avatar
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    Re: Great Service is a Choice

    Ok Thanks.

    I certainly agree with the sentiments, but it just sounds a bit over the top (or in the case of the profession and city - presumably New York, a bit dated at the least) and never heard of "personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer" - sort of sounds like one of those dramatic re-enactments I would see on the 700 club with Pat Robertson, or failing that, an infomercial of some type...

    Tom
    "Keep 'em Flying"

  6. #6
    Senior Member Idlewild's Avatar
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    Re: Great Service is a Choice

    Being a former livery driver I can attest that good service will make your day go easier and make it profitable. After one year I upgraded to better running cars and decided that I would clean them each shift and leave the radio station on WNPR (93.9) or WNYC (96.3). I would say hello, ask where the person was going and proceed in a calm manner. The four things I learned were, don't make conversation if the customer doesn't want to talk, don't force your favorite radio station (unless it's classical) on them especially at a loud volume, change the station if they request and keep the car clean. Most days would earn me 25%-50% in tips.
    Spotters have been Homeland Security before HS was a glimmer in the president's eye.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Tom_Turner's Avatar
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    Re: Great Service is a Choice

    Yeah, but "Wally", was driving a Yellow Cab, not a livery Cab.

    The classical music, attempting to keep the cab clean, inquiring if the temperature is comfortable is all doable, but at the end of the day, you cannot run a 4 Seasons out of a McDonalds.

    Tom
    "Keep 'em Flying"

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    Re: Great Service is a Choice

    Good story, whether or not it’s true, partially true, or just totally bull**** (I do believe it) there is a real message here. Service does reward! Good service in any industry does mean more profit to the bottom line and will ensure customers will return!

  9. #9
    Senior Member hiss srq's Avatar
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    Re: Great Service is a Choice

    Tom I know of Wayne Dyer, in fact I have heard many of his tapes, Earl Nightngale and Zig Ziggler's tapes. All are excellent if you take the time to listen to them. It is a beleiveable story.
    Southwest Airlines-"Once it pop's it's time to stop" Southwest Airlines-"Our Shamu's are almost real" Southwest Airlines -"We blow our top real easy" Southwest Airlines- "You can't top us..... really"

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    Re: Great Service is a Choice

    The level of service and overall story does seem a bit over the top, but the principles don't. If I got in a yellow cab and was bombarded with laminated cards and drink choices, I might feel overwhelmed. As for service in a car, all I ask for is a smoke-free ride with the music of my choice at low volumes (but usually none at all) the most appropriate route to my destination (and consultion regarding that if it's not obvious), and a courteous manner.

  11. #11
    Senior Member Tom_Turner's Avatar
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    Re: Great Service is a Choice

    Quote Originally Posted by Mellyrose
    The level of service and overall story does seem a bit over the top, but the principles don't. If I got in a yellow cab and was bombarded with laminated cards and drink choices, I might feel overwhelmed. As for service in a car, all I ask for is a smoke-free ride with the music of my choice at low volumes (but usually none at all) the most appropriate route to my destination (and consultion regarding that if it's not obvious), and a courteous manner.
    Of course instead what we often get is drivers who are missing four key ingredients I think might form the basis of a good cab driver (apart from any other misbehavior that might be evident on their part):

    > The ability to speak English (to the extent a native born American might be able to understand it)

    > The ability to make proper change and count money

    > The ability to drive safely (and really, I know I am pushing it here)

    > Rudimentary knowledge of city streets, boroughs, bridges etc.

    Anyway, I suspect "Wally" may be passing up some "fares" that don't look like they'll appreciate classical music and the Wall Street Journal.

    Tom
    "Keep 'em Flying"

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