Turning a negative into a double positive

Yesterday I was at a Starbucks in Halifax, ordered my venti skinny vanilla latte for the drive home to Cape Breton, and waited, and waited... After 5 or 6 people who ordered after me received their order, I asked if they had forgotten mine. They had. It was fine, I said, I was in no hurry. But after quickly rectifying the situation and giving me my order, the barrista handed me a certificate for a free coffee saying, "Sorry for your wait. Next time, it's on us."

It was a simple mistake and I was OK with them just rectifying the situation, but they went farther.

A couple years ago I heard a presentation by Pete Luckett of Pete's Frootique who said he loved it when a customer complained. Loved it?? Yes, he saw it as an opportunity to turn a negative into a double positive. Whenever his shop received a complaint, he would assemble a huge fruit basket and personally deliver it to the unhappy customer. He said this was an opportunity to show the customer that they were very important and their concerns had been listened to. And how many customers told people about Pete visiting them personally? I'd bet many.

You and the people who work with you are going to make mistakes and lapses in judgement from time to time, but it's how you rectify the situation that counts. Turn the negative into a double positive and your customers will remember that personal touch far more than the screw up.