Enlightened Hospitality
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Dinner at New York’s Modern (a restaurant inside the Museum of Modern Art) is typically a tasting menu or a three-course prixe fixe menu. On a recent visit there with my friend Dan, I went for the tasting menu, with an accompanying glass of wine for each course. The service was spot on and the food was excellent. But what I really want to tell you about came about three-quarters of the way through our meal.
Our table backed up to the table of a 50-something couple who were obviously not happy with each other. He was yelling at her about why her parents had to come for the weekend – using plenty of obscenities. Seriously.
As the evening progressed, they got louder and louder. Dan was sitting right behind them, and it was interfering with our dinner conversation. But then our wine steward and waiter, Nick, did something pretty interesting. He came over, “accidentally” spilled a small amount of bottled water on our table, and said, in a loud voice, “Oops. How clumsy of me. I can’t believe I spilled water all over your table. We can’t have you sitting at a wet table, so let me move you.” A team of seven quickly swooped in and transported our food and wine to the other side of the dining room.
Dan and I were awestruck. The staff had correctly identified our problem and solved it in a way that did not embarrass the other couple. Very smart.
The Story of Stellar Service That “MUST” Be Told
Difficult situations like this – especially when handled incredibly well by top-notch customer service – create stories that people want to share. And it’s a pretty powerful marketing concept. Dan and I feel compelled to tell others about our experience. In fact, he’s already mentioned it to three people, including the publisher of Wired magazine. And now I’m sharing it with you – and some 423,000 other ETR readers.
How can you make your own service stellar in some way?
[Ed. Note: As master Internet marketer Yanik Silver says, stellar service can really get the buzz going about your business and what you have to offer. For more marketing advice from Yanik, check out his blog at InternetLifestyle.com.
Word of mouth isn't the only way to get the word out about your business. Discover 12 profit-boosting strategies for getting your customers to buy right here.]
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