”One customer well taken care of could be more valuable than $10 000 worth of advertising”

– Jim Rohn

Have you ever witnessed or received exceptional customer service during your travels? Or perhaps a random act of kindness? I sure have and in more than one occasion! These extraordinary persons deserve so much more than a compliment but also recognition from the people they serve on a daily basis and their employers.

I was inspired to write something to this respect after I finished reading one of the first and best books so far this year (and I highly recommend you buy and read it too!) It is titled Fred 2.0: New ideas on how to keep delivering extraordinary results by renowned author and speaker Mark Sanborn.

There are many “normal” people who do things in an extraordinary way, every day. Such is the case of mailman, Fred Shea, the mail carrier whom Mark refers to in the book and truly is an inspiration for an entire community.

Having a regular “job” does not stop him from making a difference and help those in his path in a special yet unforgettable way! He makes a difference and creates value effortlessly. That speaks volumes and shows what great work ethic he possesses as well as personal skills.

As I recall my trips around the world, 4 events come immediately to mind and make me realize that there are unsung heroes and I would like to share with you each story!

Desmond, Greyhound Bus Driver from New York to Montreal

I was returning home to Montreal after spending two weeks in Boston and New York City. I got on board the bus, selected my seat and enjoyed the 8 hour ride.

What was remarkable is the fact that Desmond was singing and speaking with passengers who sat at the front and I was among them. Not only he shared funny stories, insights on life and gave precious advice, he made us all feel as if it was a family trip!

Even while we waited outside at the Canadian Border upon entering Quebec, he kept his good mood and made sure everyone was alright and no one left behind.

Sadly, the trip came to an end an hour later and we all parted ways. I will never forget how much we had and what a pleasurable trip it was. He deserves an award for sure!

Staff at Plaza Premium Lounge at Vancouver Airport

After returning to Canada from South Korea I had a 5 hour layover at Vancouver Airport (YVR). Unfortunately it was not enough for me to go downtown and tour the city at my own pace, so I opted for staying inside the airport until my next flight. Prior to leaving Seoul, I had purchased a day pass at Plaza Premium Lounge which is a lounge similar to those offered by airlines where you can rest, refuel and enjoy your time before flying again.

I was already jet lagged, so I headed straight to the lounge. The service right from the start is impressive and they are very welcoming.

I explained to the receptionist that I wished to take a shower, however I was informed that there were no facilities which allowed you to because they were on the other location.

So what the receptionist did was to suggest having a bath towel delivered to me so that I can freshen up. That was a very bright idea and I immediately agreed.

While I waited at the reception, she brought me a glass of water, a magazine and asked me to be seated.

After about 15 minutes another young woman came running with a white, fluffy towel! That truly made me say “wow” you rock girl!

I can’t believe she literally went the extra mile to help me feel more comfortable! I told both of them how much I appreciated all they did.

I spent a very nice afternoon doing some plane spotting while having a delicious lunch.

That was outstanding service that needs to be mentioned 🙂

Marjorie at Admiral’s Club at Terminal 8, JFK Airport

I was on my way to Helsinki when I had to stopover at JFK Airport.

Since I was fortunate enough to get an upgrade on Finnair, I received an invitation to Admirals Club lounge at Terminal 8. I certainly took advantage of it and did not know that I was going to be surprised.

Being a guest of the club allows you to use the facilities and it includes a few drinks. I headed over to the bar and looked at the menu. Marjorie, the awesome lady who prepares them, made a suggestion and I gladly went for “The Layover” It was so much fun watching her prepare the drink while singing; now she is a rock star! I looked behind me and I saw that there was a line just to have her prepare a drink!

Obviously she did not reveal the ingredients of the drink but it looked and tasted amazing!

She does what she does with a lot of passion and has lots of fun in the process. I sure recommend you go see her if you’re ever in New York 🙂

American Airlines Staff at Miami Airport

I was returning from a month-long holiday in El Salvador with my mother when we stopped over in Miami to change planes.

Little did I know that there was going to be a large crowd since it was a major holiday, Easter. We were already late, so we had to run through the hallways and once we got to immigration, I thought to myself, oh my lord, we’re going to miss the plane.

So while we waited in line through immigration, an agent came over and asked us if we were American or Canadian as there was a new stand that had just opened. So they told us to follow him and magically we were the first to go through and it was rather quickly.

We then had to claim our luggage and brought them back to another area where they would be sent to the right destination, home.

We went through security again and the line was incredibly long. So I showed our tickets to an American Airlines customer service agent and they took us right through the lines until we were clear and good to go. That did not make some people happy but an efficient and skilled worker does whatever it takes to help resolve any passenger’s problems in the shortest way possible and saves the company financially as well.

I thanked the agent for what they did for my mom and I and made sure they got some recognition by sending a tweet directly to the airline’s social media team.

We made it just in time to the gate with about 10 minutes to spare and we couldn’t be more grateful that everything turned out great.

One never forgets people and circumstances like these!

So there are a few examples of how you can experience Exceptional Customer Service While Traveling. I have many more but these are just too good not to share!

Now it’s your turn!

Tell us,

 

When was last time someone went above and beyond the call of duty?

Do you know someone who needs to be recognized?

 

I can’t wait to read all about it!

Until next time

Safe and Happy Travels!

Tashi Delek, All the best,

K 🙂