Even "Santa" Appreciates Good Service

While in the final throes of holiday shopping, I've have had the opportunity to shop at several different retailers.  The experience at most is crowded throngs of people desperately trying to find the newest Xbox or the latest iPad, with nary a store employee in sight.  It is enough to challenge even the most patient person.

However, there are shining examples of great customer service.  Andy Nulman shared one about a bookstore called Chapters, where he was offered sweets while waiting in line.  Barnes and Noble offered gift wrapping in-store by a wonderful Girl Scout troop who didn’t even flinch at the large number of books I had given them to wrap.  But the best example I have seen so far was Costco. 

Even this last week of the holiday shopping saw plenty of store employees available to answer questions.  Within two minutes of walking in (playing Santa and looking for a gift for an eight year-old), I was approached by a friendly young lady who offered to point me in the right direction.  She was knowledgeable and smiling – two traits not always found in holiday help!  I then went to a different Costco yesterday and was offered assistance again by a store employee.  This was not just while walking around aimlessly, looking lost, but proactively, as soon as entered the department.

Costco really seems to want to create a pleasant experience for their customers during this hectic time of year.  Although I had been dreading it, I won’t hesitate to go back.

Tell me your best customer service stories from this shopping season, both at retail as well as in online shopping.