My wife and I were recently in Los Angeles for a few days. The initial plan was a work assignment for me, but when my wife found out a World Cup game featuring the USA squad was scheduled on one of the days during my visit, she conveniently decided to tag along.
This was my first World Cup experience! Other than the LA traffic, it was awesome!
Of course, it’s always better when your lifelong partner is with you!
We shared with our daughter Kaitlin that we were heading to LA, and she decided to make the drive from San Diego to have dinner with us.
So, we had a family reunion of sorts!
Dinner
During our dinner, we chatted about the normal family stuff, but eventually the conversation steered towards the value of customer service.
We learned our server was from Iceland, and we struck a conversation with her because we had a family vacation to her home country in the summer of 2025. When we shared this information with her, a big smile appeared on her face.
She said, “Oh, wow! That is so awesome! I’m surprised!
We were impressed with her commitment to providing a wonderful dinner experience. She was friendly and prompt.
The value she provided was something even metrics will have a tough time measuring.
Kaitlin, who holds the position of Director of Event Planning at the Marriott Marquis in San Diego, has a good feel of what it means to deliver excellent customer service.
Also, my wife Dulce has an MBA with a concentration in Marketing, so she clearly understands the value of treating the customer well.
All this to say that our table of three was fully engaged in this discussion.
The Meaning
We live in a time when AI and data analytics are omnipresent. We know every industry, from retail to professional sports, is hiring individuals who can help find trends hidden in the voluminous amount of raw data.
However, the restaurant situation I shared is a good example of how even the latest technology tools may miss human value.
Here’s what I mean …
How do you measure the value of showing genuine care?
How does technology determine when an employee has gone beyond expectations to the point where a customer becomes loyal to the business?
The server also shared the following with our daughter, “A few of the young ladies who work here are asking where you bought your pretty dress! It’s so spectacular!”
How do you measure that compliment? Where is it stored? How is it quantified? Who reviews it?
I doubt they will be reading my blog! Ha!
The meaning or point I am trying to make is there is a hidden value that is tough to measure, and the best companies will continue to look for employees who have it …
Hire employees who can make the customer feel important.
Job Description:
Kind
Attentive
Understanding
Genuine Smile
As always, I am surprised at how simply we can define personal and business success.
See you next week, my friends!
Closing Quotes
“If you don’t genuinely like your customers, chances are they won’t buy.” – Tom Peters
“Every contact we have with a customer influences whether or not they’ll come back.” –
Kevin Stirtz
Homework Inquiry
During the next week, here’s your homework inquiry: What is your approach to delivering excellent customer service and value?
I use this opportunity to share with you a unique story and a couple inspiring quotes. Oh ... as a professor at heart, you guessed it, I have a homework inquiry for you. This is a powerful question that might just trigger you to take action on something that really matters in your life. If you feel the Catalyst Newsletter brings benefit to you.
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