Beyond Just Serving Customers

Picking up milk this week became a shopping experience that really impressed me. Having worked in retail for many years, I am not often impressed by the service I see when I am shopping.

The Safeway on my way home is close to a busy transit station - a main hub of the city. This means the staff deal with a high rate of shoplifting and often with people who cause disturbances inside and outside the store.

On this particular day, as I was at the cash register, an older gentleman came up to the cashier and told her he loved her. She said, "Thank you, Mr. _____"

The gentlemen moved away a little and began to sing, gradually getting louder. The cashier glanced at him occasionally as she rang up my purchase, looking a little concerned about what might happen next.

The women in line behind me began to laugh, as the security guard came up beside the gentleman and began dancing along to the song. When the song ended, the cashier stopped her work to applaud enthusiastically. Everyone around had a smile on their face.

I was so impressed that the staff took a situation that may have made some customers feel uncomfortable, and turned it into an event that was fun. They put everyone at ease and treated the gentleman with respect and humor.

Well done!