Morgan Trinker

… so says the incomparable Jenny Lewis.

And right-o she is.

Let me ask you…. what do these scenarios (which all took place within the one week my parents were in town recently) have in common?

• We visited Olympic Village in Park City so that my dad could bobsled (on the ACTUAL track used in the Olympics, which looked pretty ridiculously scary if you ask me). He had already told everyone at work that he was going to do it, so there was no backing down when he saw the track and then saw the price list- $60 a person for a minute-long ride. He bit the bullet, and we all loaded up into the shuttle that would take us to the top of the mountain. Now, our driver was a super-nice guy. He was giving all sorts of pointers and whatnot, being very friendly and chatty. Well, then his supervisor’s voice came through on his walkie-talkie. More or less, the guy launched into this tirade on the driver, yelling at him for picking us up when he was supposed to have done some other task. Chewed him out completely, over the walkie talkie, IN FRONT OF PAYING CUSTOMERS. Um, can we say “unprofessional”? The poor guy was clearly a bit embarrassed, but he simply responded that he was going to take us to the top before he did anything else. Meanwhile, the rest of us just sat there awkwardly, unsure of how to react to that whole episode.
• A couple of days later, we were shopping at the Gateway, and my brother and I had gathered up some clothes to try on at the Gap, so we went to the fitting room station and stood there waiting… and waiting… because we needed someone to unlock the doors for us and there was no one to be found. Finally, one employee came rushing toward us in a fit of obvious frustration that she had to deal with us. Rather than apologize for the wait and offer to open up a fitting room, let alone EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE OUR PRESENCE, she brushed by us while yelling at her coworker, who was all the way in the backroom, that she needed to be attending to the fitting room while working on whatever other task it was that she was doing.
• One night, we decided to get some authentic Northeastern-style pizza at a local pizza place (which had been highly recommended to us by Joe, whom I mentioned in my last post). We walked in and the hostess barely spoke two words to us as she seated us. Let me preface this next part by saying that Jamie and I LOVE to tip well. We know what it’s like working in retail and customer service, and we really appreciate being tipped well, so we like to share the love back wherever we go. Regardless of what we order, we never tip less than 20%. Ever. So the waiter comes to the table to take our drink orders. My mom often likes to drink tea with dinner, and my dad and brother will occasionally order a Coke or something, but it just so happened that that night, we all wanted water. Buddy, as soon as the waiter heard five waters being ordered, he gave us this look of utter disgust and walked off. In fact, he barely paid attention to us the rest of the night and I think only once offered any refills on water. And why? Because he sized us up from the very beginning as being cheapos. Just because we all wanted to drink water with our dinner. Sadly for this guy, he probably would have been tipped twice as much as what we ended up giving him, had he only chosen to forgo immediate judgment and treat us as he would have treated a table full of heavy drinkers. Ironically, from what Jamie has experienced waiting tables and I have experienced working at Starbucks, the customers who appear to be the wealthiest right off the bat, who order the most expensive meal or latte on the menu, are, in fact, often the absolutely stingiest tippers. At the last Starbucks I worked at, we even had this notorious customer who would pull up in the drive thru in his $40,000 SUV and actually attempt to STEAL our tips. No lie.

Sadly, I think these situations indicate a decline in customer service these days. Which is so puzzling to me, because all these big shot companies are constantly whining and complaining about how bad this economy has hit their business, yet they are neglecting one of the few things in this economy that will make any business stand out and shine: excellent, unsurpassed customer service. They claim they need us to shop more, spend more money…. but when we do, they treat us like crap. Does this make any sense at all? The other day, I was closing at Starbucks, and I was ringing up this couple who had come in shortly before we were about to lock the doors. Normally, this can be very frustrating, because we’re running around trying to get a million things done, and all we want to do is lock up and get the heck outta dodge, but I know that any business is good business, and so I try (not always successfully, mind you) to treat all customers with equal enthusiasm and helpfulness. It’s easy to complain about being too busy, and to get frustrated and take it out on customers with rudeness and abruptness. But when I stop to think about it, I remember that this company has given me a job. Not just a job, but a job with really good affordable health benefits, even if I were to only work part-time. And trust me, Starbucks has taken some HUGE hits within the last year and a half or so, in part due to the economy, but also because of some poor business decisions. And I’ve watched my friends and coworkers be fired, demoted, transferred, etc. because of all this. So how lucky am I to still have this steady income with great benefits? And you know what… I would have none of it if not for the loyalty of our customers, who still come in for a $4 latte even though McDonalds is selling them across the street for $2, in a terrible economy, because it’s a place where they feel belonging, appreciation, authenticity, and that human connection that is so lacking from other establishments. They like being “regulars,” enjoying a little bit of luxury in a 16 oz. cup and being treated with respect… as more than annoyances who just get in the way of getting other tasks done so we baristas can just show up and punch in and out on time and go home and let that be that. So anyway (sorry for that massive digression), this couple came in and after I rang them up, the guy said, “Wow. You know, you’re really friendly. That’s awesome. I really appreciate that.” And that SO made my life, and proved to me that customers ARE paying attention and DO appreciate being treated well. And we had this brief but great discussion on customer service in this economy, and how it seems that it’s dying everywhere you turn. It was wonderful.

So with that said, I am making it my mission to form this business into one that is completely and totally customer-centric. It’s going to be challenging for me in many ways, because I’m going to have to do some growing up and become more responsible and mature in some ways, but I know that this is crucial to my business’s survival. I don’t want to be another small business failure statistic. So it’s time to man up and change my focus and get my act together. And here are some things that I’m going to work on, ways that I can give a little love to get a little love:

• Blog love! I’m a notorious lurker and blog stalker, but I don’t often leave love and participate in these discussions like I should. In order to form a presence to not only potential clients but also to my colleagues, who will be the ones to spread the love back to me, I’ve gotta contribute. Before I can ever expect anyone to give ME advice or help ME out in a pinch, I’ve got to be willing to do the same for them FIRST. If I want people to read MY blog and leave some comment love, I’ve gotta do the same for them first… or else how will they even know I exist?
• Email and phone love! Ew, this one is not so fun. But a necessary evil. Today’s savvy and discerning clients demand excellence not only in the quality of the product, but also in the quality of the EXPERIENCE. Making myself constantly available to be super attentive to others’ needs is the only way I can at least some ensure a positive customer experience. I’ve got to remain in control of my inbox and my voicemails and my Facebook messages and everything else. So I’m pledging to myself that I will do this. Do this with passion, not out of obligation, but out of true appreciation for my clients, because they and they alone will be the ones who will allow me to make a living off of my dream career.
• God love! It is far too easy to get caught up in the “rockstar” world of high-profile wedding and portrait photography. I have seen it time and time again, even in the few short months I’ve been immersed in this whole world. But let me tell you, there are PLENTY of egotistical, self-worshipping photographers out there, who live for the latest gear and the most awards and whatever the heck else they use to measure their self-worth. I want to be a photographer who loves my colleagues and clients, yes, but I want to be one who loves God first and foremost, for without Him, I would be nothing. I would have no talent, no prospects, no opportunities, no resources, no passion, no drive, no NOTHING. So to Him I owe the very best of my efforts at gratitude, and then everything that’s left will be spread around to the people who help me make it happen based on what I HAVE been so blessed with.

I encourage you, you who may be thinking about starting your own business or who, like me, are in the formative stages, or who have been in business for years now to consider your own priorities when it comes to spreading the love. Be grateful for the talents and skills you possess, but also give recognition and appreciation to those who allow you to live your dream and actually USE those talents and skills to earn a living.

Be thankful. And just give a little love.