Today is October 3. National Customer Service Week will be this week: October 3-7. Over the next five days I will celebrate heroes who deliver over-the-top innovative service. And, I start with a master shoe repair person—David Cooper!
I took my beloved Lucchese boots to McMillan’s shoe repair store for new soles and heels. Leaving them in the hands of a stranger was no doubt like leaving your hand-built, perfectly restored sports car with a new mechanic. When I returned a few days later, they were perfectly restored and out of the emergency room.
“There was a crack in the leather on the left side of your left boot,” said storeowner David Cooper. “It was just gonna get worse so I took a piece of leather and repaired it.”
I was thrilled with his obvious concern. “How much do I owe you for the repair,” I asked. His response was like the sound of great chorus. “You don’t owe me nothing, I just wanted your beautiful boots to stay looking good and lasting a long time.” I left him a very large tip.
Great service means caring so much about the experience you are authoring or the product you are caretaking that you are willing to invest more, purely out a pursuit of remarkable. Mr. Cooper went the extra mile, not because he sought my loyalty or my tip. He did it because he loved great boots! And, anyone who loves the excellence of the service or product I am getting from them will always get my love right back!