Impacting Lives Through Awesome Customer Service

My step mother, Sue, and I discussed customer service often as she knew the importance of serving others, after having been a dedicated teacher for most of her life. Her desire and motivation were contagious and became woven into my personal core values as I grew up.

The last time I saw her, a customer service miracle happened.

A month prior, she had visited to her favorite store, Stein Mart (@steinmart) to purchase new pajamas. As a disabled shopper, getting around the store proved difficult. She had asked a representative for the location of pajamas and was directed to the far back corner of the store with no further assistance. After finally getting to the back of the store, she soon realized that the pajamas were not there but in a different section of the building. She had been misdirected and was too tired at this point to try to get to the other side of the store. She had found a few articles along the way, however, and headed to the checkout line to pay for them.

At the register, she notices right in the front section of the store, off to the side, a display of pajamas. Frustrated and angry, she asks the same representative why she was not directed to this location, as they can see she is disabled. The representative nor the supervisor on duty could provide any assistance–they simply shrugged it off and Sue went on her way.

Flash forward to two weeks ago, Saturday, me and my step mother are at the very same store as she wanted to purchase a winter coat for me (she insisted that I stay warm during my first NYC winter). While in the store, the manager was visiting. Sue approached her and explained the previous experience while I searched for a coat.

I looked over to where she was and found her sitting on a couch with the manager, talking. The manager was leaning over, clearly engaging in the conversation and had my step mom smiling and laughing. When I approached them, the manager introduced herself to me and apologized for what had happened to Sue in her previous trip. My step mom then says, “My daughter writes for a customer service blog and she knows her stuff!” The manager took my step mom’s email address and said that she’d talk to her team and follow up with her on what they can do to further correct this issue for the future. We all shook hands and left the store smiling.

Four days later, my step mom passed away unexpectedly.

My step mom and I

While it may seem silly to talk about an issue at a store while I am grieving the loss of my step mom, it’s amazing to realize the impact that we can all have on the lives of others. She was so happy that day—being recognized and acknowledged for this problem and given smiles and hopes that it would be taken care of in the future.

So, in honor of my step mom from here on out, let’s all serve others with a passion and make a difference. I will always remember her for many things, but among the most important, her strength, dedication and thoughtfulness. I will miss her always.

Be sure to read the post she guest blogged for us back in June Have a Heart: The Importance of Empathy in the Doctor’s Office.

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