Surprise Services

-          My write up piece here is due to the experience I received on my latest travel to Penang. This is a story on service above and beyond the call of duty and from the most unlikely of sources. I write this piece with a good feeling. The sort of feeling that you feel when you don’t expect to receive something but an amazing feeling to have none the less.

-          The two examples I am quoting here are from the Subaidah Mamak Store & The newspaper vendor near the house in Penang.

-          Story 1: Subaidah Mamak Store

The mamak store scene has developed leaps and bounds with the modernisation of technology. Long story short, the waiter just had to ‘key in’ a few codes into his little tablet (replacing the paper scribbles and shouting across the shop) and the ‘chef’ straight away receives the order chit and produces the order in a flash straight to where I was waiting in approximately 2 minutes. Pretty impressive.

 

-          Story 2: The newspaper vendor near my house

A routine newspaper run gave me some perspective in doing work. As my car approaches the newspaper man offered me The Star newspaper in a very warm and kind manner and in perfect English. However I took The New Straits Times instead. Lesson from this was that:

i)                    Public Relations makes a difference in making new customers and keeping loyal ones

ii)                   Taking pride in your job is evident on your faces

iii)                 Assumption/Predicting in advance is a powerful tool of efficiency

iv)                 It gives an impression when you don’t expect service above and beyond the call of duty