Customer Service Chapter 1: Tiffany's (Do your values translate to a personal level?)

Do the values of your church permeate your organization?
Tiffany’s is know for a few things.

1. Breakfast (just kidding)
2. Blue Boxes
3. Fantastic Customer Service

This Christmas I bought my wife a ring Tiffany’s for Christmas this year, here is what happened.

1. They guaranteed christmas delivery. It came three days late
2. It finally arrived but was scratched
3. The logo was tarnished

What they did.

1. I called. I was upset. They were fantastic.
2. They wrote a letter of apology.
3. They gave me a gift of Perfume for her.
4. They offered to return it to any store or pay the postage and mail it in.
5. Most importantly they were sincere.

What happened next.

1. I called Tiffany’s to see if I could have a friend return it with my receipt. They said no problem. So far so good.

2. My friend goes into a Tiffany’s store with the ring in the box with the original receipt. The lady at the Tiffany’s store said the ring looked worn (which is why we were returning it, ironically enough) and would not exchange it.

3. Luckily the manager intervened and the situation was rectified.

The bottom line.

Tiffany’s is all about the experience. The blue box comes with a large amount of expectations. They responded in an overwhelming way to my situation because they understand that they have expectations that need to be fulfilled. However, one employee who doesn’t get the values of the organization can put a bad taste in your mouth. That one employee who either doesn’t understand or buy into the experience you are trying to create can taint your organization, department, church. You know your values have translated when the person at the counter is passionate about the same thing that keeps the CEO up at night.

Do you check in people know what the “actual values” of your ministry are?
Do your sound people know?
Do the greeters and car parkers know?

Bottom line People matter to God – make sure you get the memo out.