REcent web post concerning the Illinois Eye Exam Law for Kindergartners...
http://www.preventblindness.org/news/releases/122107_3.html
http://centralillinoisproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=6089
http://wordpress.com/tag/illinois-new-eye-exam-law/
http://nw.optometry.net/PracticeTemplates/index.aspx?user_data_id=205&menu_id=0&eventid=5627
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-080819eye_briefs,0,5099500.story
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/85295.php
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/westmont/homepage/x1485135871/New-state-law-requiring-back-to-school-eye-exams
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/10-10-2007/0004679780&EDATE=WED+Oct+10+2007,+05:48+PM
Monday, September 1, 2008
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Good Service Not a Thing of the Past
In an earlier post I had commented on how I tried to pay a medical bill for some lab tests and the lack of customer service associated with that experience. In an editorial that will soon be published in Optometry & Vision Development, I wrote the Airlines Manual for Optometric Practice Management (you can just imagine what I said about customer service there!).
Well, during the last few days I had demonstrated to me what customer service should be all about!
Experience #1 Shallots Bistro
This is a small to medium sized Kosher restaurant in Skokie, Il. I had met the manager several times over the year, and he always invited me to come to his restaurant. The menu is fairly extensive with a good selection of wines (we went with another couple that my wife and I "hang with"...we decided on a Barkan Chardonnay (Galil) 2002 from Israel...very good!). In any case, the customer service was impeccable....always available but not intrusive. Sincere, not forced. Comfortably constant. We spent 2-3 hours eating and having a conversation as comfortable as you'd be in your own home with dear friends....and there was no cleaning up afterwards.
Experience #2 Micro Center
I've been to Micro Center many times....and customer service has been OK....when you could find someone to help you. This was a return visit for me since I was investigating buying a new light weight notebook computer (I ended up buying a Vaio Z Series laptop). I started working with one of their sales reps when he told me that they were out of stock....another sales rep who overheard our conversation then said he knew of another notebook that was less expensive and could probably fit my needs even better than the original one I was interested in. MicroCenter did not yet have these on display so he went and got one for me to try out. He opened the box, took it out, plugged it in and let me play around......after sometime, I decided he was right....that this would meet my needs nicely. Here's an example of a rep who knew the product line, took charge of the situation to the benefit of the customer and not only made the sale....ensured I'd be back again as a customer....
Experience #3 Manny's Clothes
I drive more than 30 miles round trip to go to Manny's to buy my suits, sport coats, dress pants, etc....why do I drive so far when I can walk from my home to a store that can sell me similar items? Customer service. The minute I walked into the store a sales rep greeted me...even called me "Sir"! (When was the last time someone called you sir?). He had one of the largest smiles on his face I ever saw....I told him what I needed (a sport coat/blazer). He took one look at me and knew my size (for some strange reason it seemed to have gotten bigger from the last time I was there!). I tried on 2 different coats...picked the one I liked. He then took me over to the tailor to measure the coat for a few adjustments....30-40 minutes later.....I had my new coat and took it home.....did I mention that the sales rep does not work on commission!! He was just happy to see me in the store...thrilled to assist me in my selection....and worked very hard to make sure I had my purchase to take home just a few minutes after purchase....
I learned two things.....
1.) Good customer service is still out there!
2.) I have some things to do to improve the "customer service" in my office!!
What about you? DM
Well, during the last few days I had demonstrated to me what customer service should be all about!
Experience #1 Shallots Bistro
This is a small to medium sized Kosher restaurant in Skokie, Il. I had met the manager several times over the year, and he always invited me to come to his restaurant. The menu is fairly extensive with a good selection of wines (we went with another couple that my wife and I "hang with"...we decided on a Barkan Chardonnay (Galil) 2002 from Israel...very good!). In any case, the customer service was impeccable....always available but not intrusive. Sincere, not forced. Comfortably constant. We spent 2-3 hours eating and having a conversation as comfortable as you'd be in your own home with dear friends....and there was no cleaning up afterwards.
Experience #2 Micro Center
I've been to Micro Center many times....and customer service has been OK....when you could find someone to help you. This was a return visit for me since I was investigating buying a new light weight notebook computer (I ended up buying a Vaio Z Series laptop). I started working with one of their sales reps when he told me that they were out of stock....another sales rep who overheard our conversation then said he knew of another notebook that was less expensive and could probably fit my needs even better than the original one I was interested in. MicroCenter did not yet have these on display so he went and got one for me to try out. He opened the box, took it out, plugged it in and let me play around......after sometime, I decided he was right....that this would meet my needs nicely. Here's an example of a rep who knew the product line, took charge of the situation to the benefit of the customer and not only made the sale....ensured I'd be back again as a customer....
Experience #3 Manny's Clothes
I drive more than 30 miles round trip to go to Manny's to buy my suits, sport coats, dress pants, etc....why do I drive so far when I can walk from my home to a store that can sell me similar items? Customer service. The minute I walked into the store a sales rep greeted me...even called me "Sir"! (When was the last time someone called you sir?). He had one of the largest smiles on his face I ever saw....I told him what I needed (a sport coat/blazer). He took one look at me and knew my size (for some strange reason it seemed to have gotten bigger from the last time I was there!). I tried on 2 different coats...picked the one I liked. He then took me over to the tailor to measure the coat for a few adjustments....30-40 minutes later.....I had my new coat and took it home.....did I mention that the sales rep does not work on commission!! He was just happy to see me in the store...thrilled to assist me in my selection....and worked very hard to make sure I had my purchase to take home just a few minutes after purchase....
I learned two things.....
1.) Good customer service is still out there!
2.) I have some things to do to improve the "customer service" in my office!!
What about you? DM
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