Does Really Good Service Matter? ©

I learned two key things while building and running large customer service organizations. First, good service is "sticky." It keeps us attached to a company's products and services. We're more loyal to companies that treat us well.

Second, people talk. It used to be said that if you had a bad customer service experience you would tell seven people. The internet changed that; the stakes are a lot higher. Today we have YouTube, blogs, email, podcasts, chat sessions, clubs, groups, instant messaging, message boards, text messaging, etc. Now, one bad service experience can be shared with thousands of people instantly. The same is true for positive experiences; good news can be shared quickly and globally.

Here's an example of service worth talking about.

Dawn and I were celebrating our second wedding anniversary in Kuaii, Hawaii. We were staying at the Hyatt hotel. On the second day of our vacation Dawn and I decided to go for a swim together.

When we finished our dip in the ocean we went back to our cabana and started to towel off. And then suddenly Dawn cried out, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" We both looked down at her hand. The two carat diamond on her engagement ring was gone. Two prongs were bent and two were missing.

Dawn was crying and I did my best to comfort her. I told her, "We'll get another ring. It's just a symbol of what we have. And what we have is each other, and that's all that matters." Now don't get me wrong, I loved that ring - it was hard to find and even harder to pay for. But now it was lost in the sand.

Although I was pretty sure our diamond was gone forever, I asked the hotel staff to help us search for our diamond. To my surprise, they sent a small search party. Together we retraced our steps and combed the sand inch by inch in and around our cabana.

After more than an hour, I called off the search. We tried our best but the task was too great. While the ring had sentimental value, I knew the ring was insured. But our vacation wasn't. We needed to put the lost ring behind us.

Now here's the rest of the story. Four days after we returned home, Dawn received a call. "Mrs. Pollay, this is Yvette from the Hyatt in Kuaii." And the magic words were spoken. "We found it! We found your diamond, and we'll ship it out today."

We couldn't believe it! How was it possible that Yvette and her team found our diamond in the sand? They did it with incredible customer service, that's how. Each day at the start of their shift, the original search party would sift through the sand around the cabana. On the 4th day after we returned home they found it. And they returned it! In all my years in customer service, I have never experienced, nor witnessed such service.

Now to return to the question, "Does really good service matter?" Here are two reasons it does. First, because of the great service we experienced, I now choose Hyatt Hotels for more of my trips. Bottom line, their good service is sticky.

Second, we talk. Dawn and I have told hundreds of people this story, and thousands through my writing and speeches. And you're now one of them. Really good service does matter.

Oh, and our ring, it now has six prongs!

David J. Pollay is an expert in the cutting-edge field of Positive Psychology. He is president of The Momentum Project. Mr. Pollay holds a Master's Degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and an Economics Degree from Yale University. Email him your thoughts and stories at david@themomentumproject.com.