Common sense is easy and free, so is customer appreciation! Tammy gets it, her employer doesn’t. So whoever said that good and decent people are hard to find, need to look a little harder or maybe just take the number 33 bus.
Pretty much everyone who boarded asked Tammy a quick question about the decorations. “I just want to show appreciation for my passengers,” was her standard response. Those who pressed further often heard “If not for the passengers, drivers and managers have no job.” Tammy also was more than happy to advise passengers frustrated by the delay. “I strongly encourage you to call Muni and complain,” was advice that seemed to be doled out at every other stop.
Managers forget that without employees, there is no company for them to manage. Employees who understand the problems their customers are facing and who try, against many odds, to keep them happy are unique. Managers should be listening to the feedback their employees give and take action. They are on the front line, especially in Tammy’s case, almost daily, dealing with customers.
Business isn’t alsways easy, but making the effort to deliver a real service or product and listening to your customer base can take away many of the pitfalls. Stockholders need to understand that a time will come that it won’t be about making a ‘quick buck’ but about transparancy, quality service and positive customer experiences no matter how necessary the product or service is. Competition is only a thought away!
