One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?” The youth replied, throwing starfish back into the ocean. “The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
Starfish Story
“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…
…”It made a difference for that one.”
So, how can we use the “starfish story” in our business?
Simple, just don’t get bogged-down in the minutia of “customer service”.
Many times we fret over all the standards, procedures, and policies we must follow within our day-to-day customer interactions. That’s understandable. But the customer is not concerned about this nor are they even aware of it.
They just want attention. They desire acknowledgment and understanding. They need confirmation that their business is appreciated and understanding that THEY come first. Help me, find what I need, show me the way…that’s all I ask.
We can make a difference to each and every customer who will cross our business threshold. They are now OUR responsibility and we WILL do all we can to tend to their needs, find what works for them and do it with a SMILE.
You CAN make a difference within your sea of customers. If not, what happens to YOUR starfish?
Have you made a difference to a customer? Do you have any ‘starfish stories’ to share?
I’d love to hear them…
