Latest / HAVE FAITH LET IT BEGIN® / S9Ep:2385 Dante's Difference: Customer Service isn't Dead

Transcript

S9Ep:2385 Dante's Difference: Customer Service isn't Dead · HAVE FAITH LET IT BEGIN®

• 0:44
  Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Have Faith, Let It Begin.
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  This is the great customer service part two edition.
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  Customer service isn't dead. That's right. My name is Angel Santana.
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  This is Have Faith, Let It Begin. It's a Friday.
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  Don't forget, programming note this Sunday, I'll be preaching at the church
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  for Father's Day. It is a Father's Day weekend. I hope you all enjoy your weekend.
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  Well, yesterday, I shared a story about exceptional customer service at AT&T
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  and FirstNet and how a few individuals made what could have been a routine visit
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  into a memorable experience.
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  Today, I want to continue that conversation because great customer service is
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  not limited to a single company or industry.
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  Great customer service is about people. It's about kindness.
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  It's about patience. It's about making someone feel valued.
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  And recently, I experienced that at Men's Warehouse, store 5426 on Route 211
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  in Middletown, New York. Looking for a suit?
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  With Father's Day approaching and sermon seasons around the corner for us pastors,
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  I knew it was time for a new suit. I needed a new suit.
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  Now, I've always heard good things about Men's Warehouse.
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  People often talk about their selections, their experience, their expertise,
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  and their ability to help customers find exactly what they need.
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  So I decided, why not? Let me step over there and stop in. It was right after work.
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  And then what I found was much more than a clothing store.
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  You see, I found a team that genuinely, and I do mean genuinely,
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  cared about helping people.
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  So let me tell you about this person that I met.
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  The store manager, which I didn't know at the time, who assisted me, his name is Dante.
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  And from the very beginning, right off the jump, I could tell this guy knew his craft.
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  Somebody who has been in sales myself previously for over 25 years,
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  you kind of can just figure it out.
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  But I will tell you, he was helping multiple customers and Dante was busy and he had it under control.
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  He was answering questions left and right. He was coordinating with staff.
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  Yet somehow he still made me feel like I was his top priority.
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  That's not easy to do. Anyone can help customer when they walk into the store or when a store is empty.
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  But the true test comes when you're juggling multiple responsibilities and still
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  make people feel important.
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  And Dante did that exactly. He exactly, he was just a professional.
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  One thing that stood out was how knowledgeable he was.
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  He knew what styles were trending. He knew what worked for the different positions
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  or professionalisms or professions, I should say.
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  And he knew which suits fit different body types. And mostly,
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  most importantly, I should say, he understood what worked for me.
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  As someone preparing for sermons, attending ministry events,
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  and representing both my church and my podcast, I wanted something professional but comfortable.
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  Dante guided me through the options and helped me find a suit that felt right.
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  And yes, I found some shoes to go along with that too. Hey, they were marked down, by the way.
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  You know, I couldn't pass that up. You know, shoes are very hard to come by
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  when you really like them and they were awesome.
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  Hope you got your pair, by the way, Dante.
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  So now I'm officially ready for Father's Day Sunday sermon.
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  You know, that moment, believe it or not, really did stand out for me.
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  But the moment that really stayed with me wasn't actually about me.
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  It was about a young man shopping for his prom outfit.
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  The young gentleman had his eyes on a white suit, or at least I think it was
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  white, like a cream colored style.
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  And let me tell you, that suit was fire, as the kids would say.
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  Everyone around him was telling him he looked great, but like many young people
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  trying to do something new, he wasn't completely sure. He wasn't sure if he liked it.
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  He was nervous. It was obvious. He wasn't used to wearing something that bold. His words.
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  Eventually, he decided to go with a different shirt and tie combination.
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  And that's when I saw something that impressed me.
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  Dante didn't rush him.
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  He didn't pressure him. He didn't push a sale on him. Instead,
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  he took the time to teach.
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  He even showed him how to tie a tie.
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  He demonstrated different knot styles. He talked about the Windsor knot.
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  He explained options and helped the young man understand what would work best.
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  That's customer service.
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  Not just telling, not just selling, teaching, encouraging, helping someone feel confident.
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  That is what Dante brought, and teamwork right there that matters.
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  So where do we go from here? What impressed me throughout the entire visit was
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  the entire staff that worked directly with him.
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  Questions would come up, someone would step in, another customer needed help,
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  someone else would assist.
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  There was a genuine sense of teamwork.
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  And when customers see that kind of culture, they noticed.
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  I noticed. a message now to every single leader out there in sales or in customer
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  service for that matter.
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  Well, let me redirect this question and this statement to anyone from Men's
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  Warehouse Leadership, whoever hears this episode.
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  I want to recognize store 5426 in Middletown.
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  I especially want to recognize Dante because his patience, his professionalism,
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  his kindness, his product knowledge, and his ability to make customers feel valued.
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  That's what keeps people coming back.
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  And I can tell you right now, this was my very first visit, but it won't be my last.
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  So let me close with this. As I was walking out of the store,
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  that young gentleman with his mom was talking.
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  And you would think they were talking about where they were going to go next
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  or maybe have buyer's remorse. No, you know what the conversation was?
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  How they would most likely come back and do business here because of the way
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  Dante and the staff treated them. There you go.
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  You know, one of the things I've learned over the years is that people may forget what you sold them.
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  They may forget the price. They may even forget the details,
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  but they'll remember how you made them feel.
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  Yesterday, we talked about kindness. Today, we're talking about service.
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  And the truth is, they go hand in hand.
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  Whether you're helping someone switch phone plans, pick out a suit,
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  preparing for a prom, or get ready for a sermon like me to preach on Sunday,
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  for Father's Day, people matter.
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  And when we treat people with kindness, respect, dignity, everyone wins.
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  And that's where I will leave you today. At this point, we're going to do a
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  prayer. So if you are a person that believes in prayer, we're going to continue
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  on here with a formal ending.
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  Don't want to offend anyone, but as you know, have faith, let it begin.
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  Believes that a day without prayer is a day without power. Heavenly Father,
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  thank you for people who serve others with excellence.
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  Thank you for the individuals who go above and beyond to make someone's day a little bit better.
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  Help us to be people who encourage others, lift others, and treat everyone we
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  meet with kindness and respect.
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  May we always remember that every interaction is an opportunity to reflect your
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  love, and we pray this in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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  So, with God's blessing, mine to yours, never forget that God loves you,
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  God believes in you, God will never leave your side.
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  My name is Angel Santana. Hope you're going to check us out on Sunday.
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  And until next time, if you go into Men's Warehouse, tell them.
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  Have faith, let it begin, sent you.
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  And I want to be serviced by the staff of Dante.
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  And never forget, have faith, let it begin. Have a great weekend.
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  Happy Father's Day to all fathers, all coaches, pastors, and everyone that has
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  raised people and never, ever walked away.
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  Hey, Have Faith family. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share the podcast with your friends.
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  Visit our website, HaveFaithLetItBegin.com.
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  We would love to hear your feedback.