Customer Service Done Well
Last week was exhausting, and not necessarily the good kind. I managed to survive Saturday quite nicely, but my orchestra playing this morning was a a blur. It felt like I was in a fog and I just couldn't shake it. I should point out that my driving was still spectacular as always* (most of the time). Some days I'll drive to work and wonder how I got there but today's trips to Church and a few local stores wasn't like that at all. Anything that took brain power, like speaking or reading music, was a fog. Wow, what a long tangent to say I'm beat. Poor me, boo hoo, life goes on.
In the midst of the week, and to be honest a big part of my late week fog, we (the company I work for) received some bad news from a client. I shouldn't say much more but I will say that it is going to be a learning experience and I hope to be better for it. One thing that came up in conversation with the client, and I believe that Tom Peters says this over and over and over and over and over again, is the idea of listening. Actually a lot of people teach to listen, but if Tom ever had a run in with Maximus from Rapunzel I could totally see Tom grabbing a frying pan and whacking people on the head followed by a firm "listen".
Listening brings me to the reason I wanted to write this post in the first place. My wife and I are in the process of adopting a young child from China and even though we are blessed with many great things, piles of cash is not one of them. So, I wrote to Lake Michigan Credit Union where the Van Dyk fortune (and mortgage) is held to get an idea of what a personal loan would set me back. A few days later I got a response, cried a little bit, and went on my merry way. I may end up using a personal loan, I may not... I simply don't know. What I do know is that the fine folks at the Lake Michigan Credit Union Services Department were listening. As I hurriedly rifled through the mail while driving the family to dinner with friends I came across this:
Unexpected postal mail. Written by real hands! I hope their mother's, and third grade teachers, are all proud.
The individuals who took the time to write their names on this card all deserve a pat on the back for listening. I don't know a single person who signed, nor would I have though twice if the interest rate email was the last I heard from them. These fantastic financiers took the time to listen, respond, and win (not lose?) a customer for a long time.
To the Service Department and LMCU, thank you for listening. Thank you for taking the time so show what great Customer Service looks like. I hope to send you a photo in a few months of our new and improved family. Until then, I'll just let you take my mortgage on the 1st.