Customer Service: WOW

I walked into Dunkin' Donuts today for coffee and got something better. "Welcome to Dunkin' Donuts!" said the woman behind the counter with an ear-to-ear grin. I could feel her enthusiasm and I hadn't even had my first sip of caffeine.

I splurged on a 'Box O' Joe' and as soon as I placed the order, I could tell she was new. The cash register beguiled her and she had no clue how to key in the order. She quickly asked for help, and as I watched her associate go through the order menu, I was grateful to the more experienced of the two. I counted four sub menus strokes to get to the requested item:

1) beverage

2) hot

3) size, and lastly,

4) 'Box O' Joe'

It seemed a long way around to get to what is one of their staples. In my mind a quick key on the register resembling a facsimile of a 'Box O' Joe' would be ideal!

©Dunkin' Donuts - Box O' Joe®

I wondered at precisely the same time my host did, how funny it was to key in 'hot' because what else would a 'Box O' Joe' would come in other than hot? We looked across from one another and chuckled. The simple task of ordering was to this newcomer, something that needed to be learned.

What a wonderful skill she had, a genuine smile and eagerness to connect with me, the customer, on the other side of the counter. I watched her practice pressing keys to get to the button that would display the charge while the more experienced woman put together the order. The newbie wanted to know the routine and have it down, without a stumble.

I wished I'd asked her name because I wonder what it is. Just being part of her brief falter, followed by watching her do a dry run of register panel, and committing it to memory, endeared her to me.

I told her what a great job she did because she took the time to connect with me as much as she did the task at hand. That was a real energy jolt - even better than what was in the box.