Isn't it funny how you can experience the highs and lows of customer service in a matter of a day?

On a Monday i took my son to the dentist. This dentist is a pediatric specialist who offers so many bells and whistles I could have skipped my trip to Disney earlier this year. Her operation is top notch. Lots of staff and great use of technology. When my son sat in the chair a photo of him from his last visit popped onto the screen. Lots of incentives to let them take xrays and all the other yukky stuff that happens at a dentist's office. The team of hygenists was great entertaining my son with temporary tattoos and teeth brushing games but the doctor was obviously running behind schedule. It couldn't have been more than 15 minutes. Hardly something you'd think odd if you ever spent time in a pediatrician's office.

But when I went to pay, the receptionist said the doctor would pick up my bill because she was running late. She said the doctor was very sorry for the inconvenience, that my son was adorable and hoped we'd have a great rest of he day.

Talk about hitting the hot buttons: apology, something for free and complimented my kid. You guessed it, she had a customer for life (or until he turns 13).

Conversely, the local grocery store celebrating a grand reopening and remodelling earned a strike. Riding high on the no cavities announcement my son sauntered over to the pizza counter and said "I know, let's buy a pizza for daddy." The take and bake pizzas were marked with a sign that said they were $4.99 so I acquiesced and picked one up. "Is this right?" I asked the guy behind the counter. "Yeah, whatever the sign says," he replied. Otherwise I would have passed for the regular price.

As happens occasionally, the pizza went through at full price so back to the the courtesy counter i went thinking it was no big deal, they'd just refund the difference.I approached the counter with a smile. The three folks standing there noted the bag and you could see their eyes darting around for an exit.  When I explained the situation the girl ( I was nice, smiling and understanding this stuff happens) said "i'll go check" and promptly walked in the opposite direction of the pizza counter. The young man told me "I don't think that's right" and  stared at me for a minute hoping I would go away.  The older person, I'm guessing the manager, made a loud dramatic sigh and addressing his fellow employee says, " Sometimes those idiots forget to take the sign down." Again we waited. "That's ok, I'd like to return it then." I said. Finally, the manager opened the register (never once looking at me) pulled out four dollars and shoved them across the counter, never once acknowledging me or ceasing the conversation with his colleague. Here in Philly the  locals call that "being ignorant" and it is a cardinal sin.

Yet some replay of that last experience has happened to just about everyone I know. And, not just in cities, in small "Friendly" towns as well.

I can't fault the two 16-year olds since the most dismissive behaviour came from the manager. He probably trained them so how would they know better?

The experience is a reminder:

• Good customer service starts at the top- Employees will mirror what they see you do.
• A service-oriented attitude is a must when hiring sales help- You may have to teach that person how to run a register, which glue to use for which project or how to create a display that won't fall down. But the most important thing- a willing spirit would be at the bottom of it all.
• People share customer service stories- My dentist got two referrals from me and the grocery store will never get anything but my "I'll pick it up when I'm this part of town" business.
• Good customer service may cost a bit once in a while but the expense of finding new customers is always higher.
• Just because a customer doesn't make a scene doesn't mean she'll continue to come back. Most folks will just walk away never to return after a bad experience.

Insult to injury- the pizza was that looked so great tasted just fair-- Beth