Learning Customer Service From 2 Year Olds

We attended our youngest grandson’s second birthday party over the weekend and it was a lot of fun to watch. Held at a local ice cream parlor, with about 15 kids and their parents, it was a simple affair…pizza for lunch, some crayons and paper for an activity, and ice cream for dessert. No glitz, no glamour, just an effort to provide a fun time for a bunch of little kids on a warm summer day. There were two things that hit me as they relate to customer satisfaction.

First, it is important to create moments that are meaningful to the customer (in this case, a bunch of 2 year olds.) Yes, they could have spent more and brought in a clown, or held it at a fancy spot, but for these kids at this age, it was just what they wanted. The same is true in sales. Too often the supplier does not really think about what the customer wants, just what is best for them to provide. Taking a step back to think through, with the customer’s help, what it is they need and how to provide the best value without lots of extra bells and whistles, is paramount. Value and speed meet the customer’s needs every time.

And second, although the ice cream parlor did not provide the pizza, the fact that they allowed the food to be brought in suggested that they understood their customer and would do what it took to help create a great event and to encourage repeat business. Sometimes you cannot do it all, but if you make it easy for your customer and provide that extra service, you will win every time. For us here at Bud, we always try to keep the customer foremost in our minds and to provide just what they need. But we are always learning, even if it is from a group of 2 year olds.