Do you deserve good customer service?

The customer is always right. The customer is king. Give the customer what they want. We hear and believe phrases like this all the time, but are you doing your part to earn good customer service? Quite often, I see people getting the service they deserve.

When you are an excellent customer, good customer service can also follow. Let me provide a couple of examples of how, but being an excellent customer, it can come back to reward you, and even save you money. In all cases though, it is the right thing to do.

I have been going to the same mechanic in my town now for a few years. I switched because of poor service and an undesired experience with another mechanic in my town who was closer. My current mechanic is a Meineke franchise owner. It's his shop completely. I have always made a point to be polite, courteous, and friendly every time I go. Additionally, I know most of the mechanics by name.

A couple of months ago, two of our three vehicles were experiencing a lot of problems. Sure I was frustrated, but I never took it out on the guys at the shop. I was coming by so much that month, it ceased to be funny. I saw other customers come in and be rude. They were demanding and actually acted juvenile. Others promised never to return even after the shop tried to help, and that was OK with the staff. When my ticket would come up, the staff routinely would knock off $100 or more off my bill. Why? They said because I was a good customer.That month, I literally saved more than $300 from Meineke because they consider me a good customer. It pays to be pleasant.

I no longer clip coupons for this store. I just ask for a discount, or they offer it. They have even started giving my youngest daughter discounts just because. Nothing else. In fact, she goes by just to get certain fluid levels checked to make sure things are OK with her car. The staff loves to help our family.

All this to say, we control a lot of the service we get. Not always, and in those cases, I no longer visit those places. But my experience is, if I go with a smile and pleasant attitude in most places, I am treated extremely well. I have earned good customer service, and it pays.

A few months ago, one of my daughters and I went to TGI Fridays because we had coupons for a free burger off their menu as part of a promotion they were running on Facebook. Now, a general rule of thumb in my house when we go out to eat is to just drink water. Soft drinks are ridiculously expensive. After placing our orders, I just sensed that the waiter had no expectations from servicing us because our bill was zero. His reaction when we left him a tip based on what we would have normally paid was one of total surprise. I know that we made his day, and learned later that during this promotion, the particular restaurant we went to had served over 1,000 of these free burgers, but very few patrons had left tips. In my situation, I received good service and rewarded it. If this guy remembers me, I know that I will benefit with excellent service.