I recently went on a quick road trip to Charleston, SC to visit a friend who I hadn’t seen in 8 years. The drive was quick on the way down because I was so excited to see my friend, and also to visit the Gibbes Museum (I’m an art museum geek). The drive on the way home was a different story.
It was a stormy day and the rain didn’t let up the entire drive back to Asheville. There were lots of wrecks due to the awful weather, and one very close call where I almost became the fourth car in a three-car pileup. I spilled iced tea all over myself when I slammed on the brakes, which did nothing for my already gloomy outlook. Every time I looked at my GPS my estimated time of arrival home seemed to be getting further and further away. I needed a break.
I took the next exit and pulled into a Pilot Travel Center. I pumped gas and thought about the Sour Apple Blow Pops I was about to treat myself to (my guilty pleasure when I’m on the road). When I entered the store, a Pilot staff member greeted me with a, “Welcome to – (gasp!) Omigoodness! What happened? I’ll get you some napkins.” She ran to the soda area and grabbed a handful of napkins to help me clean up. I was so touched by her immediate concern for me, and how quickly she reacted. She asked if I was cold and pointed out that they had hot coffee available if I needed to warm up and a hand dryer in the bathroom that would help dry out my shirt. My mood automatically lifted, and I made a beeline for that hand dryer!
After spending some time drying my shirt, I gathered my goodies – Blow Pops and yes, more tea! – and brought them to the checkout where I was greeted by two more staff members. These women were smiling, making eye contact, and also concerned for my welfare. I assured them that I was feeling much better now that I wasn’t soaking wet. We laughed and joked about the number of Blow Pops I was buying.
The was a dinging sound just as I was leaving the counter and I heard one staff member say to the other, “When you hear that ding, always call out a hello and a ‘welcome to Pilot’ to whoever is walking through the front door.”
I turned around and said, “Are you in training?” to the woman who had operated the cash register to check me out. She replied yes, and I praised both the trainer and trainee. I would never have guessed that I had been dealing with a new staff member while I was being served.
When we train teams, we talk about “making people happier than they were 10 seconds ago.” I left that Pilot Travel Center in a considerably better mood than I had entered – and it wasn’t because of the Blow Pops I had purchased. All three staff members at Pilot had made me feel welcomed and cared for. And isn’t that what we all need when we’re far from home and a bit worse for wear? Thank you to those wonderful women at Pilot for brightening the day of a weary traveler, and definitely making me happier than I was when I walked through the door. Your exceptional customer service did not go unnoticed.
Brandi Hand, Queen of Visibility, Red-Carpet Learning Systems
I just came across this wonderful post and just had to leave a comment. This type of service and welcoming attitude doesn’t cost anything but is worth so much. Great job by all. Hope you enjoy the Blow Pops!
Hi Steve! Thank you for your kind comment and for sharing the post on Twitter! This was written by our Queen of Visibility Brandi Hand and yes, we agree! Excellent customer service costs so little but means so much!
Hi Steve! Their kindness meant the world to me and made all the difference in my long, traffic-filled trip home. (and yes, I really enjoyed those Blow Pops!) ~ Brandi