“I Drink a Lot of It”

“Get to Know Your Customer.” It’s such an easy thing to say, but not so easy to do. How does one get to know the customer, especially when working with a lot of customers? Customer surveys may be one way, but it is always a bonus when you can actually say you “know” a specific customer’s likes and dislikes.

My husband and I like to eat out. In fact, we do so whenever we find some extra money in the bank. I particularly like to eat breakfast, which I can do at anytime of the day. So it was that not too long ago we ended up at IHOP. We go there regularly, but not so frequently that we are well known.

Before we begin this tale, there is one thing you need to know about my husband. He drinks a lot of fluid. Whether it is iced tea or a diet Pepsi, he consumes large quantities of it. So when a server asks him what he wants to drink, he will give his preference and then warn them, “and I drink a lot of it.”

Most of the time they nod their heads, say they will watch to see he has enough to drink, and off they go. If he is lucky, they will re-appear several times to replenish his glass. I think most people don’t believe him, or have their own idea of what constitutes “a lot.” He has been known to down two pitchers of tea, while I am still nursing the same glass that I started out with (yes, I know, I need to drink more fluids too).

Occasionally, a server will actually notice that he is draining his glass quite often, and will bring him a pitcher. This is always greatly appreciated. There have been times the server has said, “I’d bring you a pitcher but we aren’t allowed to leave it on the table.” One has to wonder what kind of customer service expert made up that rule?

So it was that we encountered Toni, our IHOP waitress. She came up to our table, and much to our pleasant surprise, greeted my husband and asked, “Are you the one who likes to have a pitcher of tea?” After determining that she had remembered him correctly, she produced the desired pitcher. It was a simple thing, but stood out in my memory. She proactively attempted to meet a specific request of her customer, with the result that we may increase our visits to that restaurant to support my passion for breakfast.

On IHOP’s Official Website, they have this mission statement. “IHOP’s Vision is to become number one in family dining…….We are always focused on satisfying the needs of our customers and guests.”

I certainly commend IHOP for not being one of the establishments with the “no pitcher” rule (which makes sense seeing as they provide a carafe of coffee.) I also wish to thank Toni for taking the extra step to ensure her customer was satisfied with the service he received.

Jack Mitchell talks about this concept in his book, Hug Your Customers: The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results. The book is about customer service and how ‘Jack Mitchell, the owner of two successful clothing stores, has practiced it by extending “hugs” – unexpected extras, from knowing each customers name, along with their family members and clothing preferences, to handing out free coffee and newspapers on the Greenwich commuter train platform.” (from Amazon book description) He states:

“Through the relationships you develop, you must listen to your customers on an individual basis so that you know her or him, and give them additional services that are important to them.” (Jack Mitchell)

Oh, I almost forgot, the steak omelet at IHOP was excellent too!