Humans are creatures of habit. How often do we visit the same businesses or utilize the same services over and over and it becomes just routine for us? We usually come across the same people, experience the same service and receive the same result. There may not be anything wrong with the service and outcome, but the experience can seem plain, redundant and just average.
Due to my busy speaking schedule, I fly continuously around the country, hopping on various shuttles taking me to airports, parking lots and hotels. Most rides are simple and routine. My experiences for the most part have been what I expected and are uneventful. I guess I should be happy about that. The shuttle drivers do their jobs. They pick me up at a particular parking lot location, terminal, or hotel sometimes with a welcome greeting such as “hello” or “have a safe trip”or not. On occasion I might get help with my luggage or exchange simple conversation. Overall it’s usually an average experience.
However, when heading to the LAX airport to travel to my next speaking engagement, I experienced something different. While a few of us waited to enter the hotel shuttle van to the airport, we were given a warm, friendly greeting by the driver, Jim. He jumped out of the van to personally handle our bags. The moment we were seated, Jim handed us a piece of wrapped candy and introduced himself. As he began to drive away he gave the time, temperature, and travel time to the terminal.
Besides asking us what airline we would be using he then asked each of us what city we are flying to. As we took turns telling him, he informed us of the temperature highs and lows we could expect in those cities that day. Wow! You should have seen the look on our faces. In just the few minutes that it took to get to the terminal we were all pleasantly surprised and thrilled by the experience we received from Jim.
In his own unique way, Jim differentiated himself from any other parking shuttle driver just by simply being genuinely interested and caring about his passengers. Jim added more value to our relatively normal shuttle ride. He certainly exceeded our expectations. Is there a payoff? Well if I had to guess, I’d guess that Jim enjoys his job more than most people. Also, as I carefully watched Jim help people, I’d bet his tips are better than what other drivers get.
Let’s look at what Jim does to differentiate himself from other service employees.
- Jim clearly sees his job as an opportunity to serve others.
- He enjoys what he does and causes people to like him and immediately feel comfortable.
- He does something that customers don’t expect.
- He impresses people with his knowledge and added value.
- Jim makes the 5 minute ride enjoyable and entertaining.
We all can learn from Jim. Whatever you and your staff do, regardless of what it is, you too can differentiate yourself from others. Be unique and creative. Brainstorm with other employees. Exchange ideas that would impress you if you were the customer. It does not have to be a lot of extra work. Just try starting out small doing simple things to please your customers. I promise you will surprise them, by being different, exceed their expectations and make the customer experience Magical!