Even though we strive to deliver excellent customer service to our clients, we may not hit our target 100% of the time. Let’s face it. We’re human and we make mistakes. Some people may use this as a cop-out to excuse their company’s poor customer service. Others may see it as an opportunity to make things right even when it goes wrong. It’s all about the company’s reaction to the mistake that can either win or lose the customer.

I received a nomination from a customer regarding such an experience that was worthwhile to discuss in this column because it is a healthy reminder to all of us who are business owners that we can still please the customer even when things go wrong. It’s all about the recovery that makes or breaks the experience.

This customer frequently visits the Greek Gourmet restaurant located at 24611 Production Circle in Bonita Springs. In fact, he often orders lunch for a number of people from his place of employment at a local bank. His most recent visit began as a flop since he ordered the food ahead of time in order to pick it up for carry out. By the time he arrived for his food, the order wasn’t ready. For whatever reason, whether it was simply forgotten or there was a mistake with the order, the owner personally apologized to this person. Moreover, the owner insisted on delivering the lunch to the bank within a half-hour and refused to accept payment for the food as a way to make up for the restaurant’s mistake in inconveniencing him. What began as a flop could have turned into a lost account. Due to the owner’s recovery efforts, efforts, he won over the customer’s bad experience and turned him into a satisfied client who is willing to return to the establishment.

Of course, our main goal should be to delive quality service the first time around. However, this is impossible to do when we have humans running the business. Even computers can’t deliver 100% of the time. The point is that bad things can happen to good customers. When it does, what matters most is how the business reacts to and handles the situation. By taking the matter seriously, the mistake can be corrected and the customer’s experience can be turned around.

Article published in “Bonita Business News”, a magazine published by Fort Myers News-Press, November 2006.

Click here to nominate a business.