Many people would assume that she was a stay-at-home grandma who mostly watched TV and crocheted cozies. How surprised they would be to see this 70-ish woman navigate through the Macy’s computerized cash register with aplomb.
Elizabeth had helped me make a previous purchase many months ago, so I knew I was in good hands when I approached her with two belts, and several coupons. She deftly scanned them and got frustrated when the system didn’t apply the discount. She said, “This is silly. It should work.” I asked if there was a floor manager who could override the system and she said, “I am the floor manager. I’m going to void this and try another way.” Which she did. The discount still didn’t take. Then it hit her, “These are designer belts so the discount doesn’t apply. But I’m going to give it to you anyway!” I thanked her and watched her ring in her override code.
I don’t know if Elizabeth works by choice or by need, but I’m appreciative for her stellar service. She showed her customer focus through small acts, like apologizing when the transaction took longer than she thought it should, making eye contact, and giving me the discount for my inconvenience, even though the coupon didn’t really apply.
Sometimes we eschew older workers, thinking they will be slower, won’t learn new processes, may get tired easily, or may be short with customers. Elizabeth proves all those assumptions wrong. She demonstrated excellent customer service any organization would be happy to provide.
Whether you’re an employer looking for great customer contact personnel, or if you’re shopping and have a choice of check out clerks, go for the one who looks like s/he has been around a while and knows how to treat customers well. You’ll most likely be delighted.