No, You Can’t Have the Scissors

This week it was my honor to be a guest speaker at conference focused on sales and service.  As I was preparing for my session the next morning I realized I needed a pair of scissors.  Since you never know from day to day what is allowed through airport security I don’t regularly travel with scissors.  So I headed to the front desk at the Hyatt we were staying at.  I approached a nice gentleman at the front desk who immediately acknowledged me.  I asked to borrow a pair of scissors and he happily opened a drawer and reached in to get the scissors.

As he was about to hand me the scissors, I told him I would like to borrow them for a couple of hours.  He looked at me like I was crazy and that my request was unheard of.  He proceeded to put the scissors away and informed me that no, I could not have scissors for a couple of hours.  You see he only had one pair and simply could not spare his one pair of scissors.  It felt like I was in a Seinfeld episode.  I was curious, a hotel with endless rooms and meeting space only had one pair of scissors?  So I asked if there was anyway there could possibly be another pair of scissors anywhere in the hotel that I could borrow.  Take my credit card, take my first born, take anything you want as collateral, just give me the scissors!  I promise I will bring them back.  He consulted with another front desk agent asking if maybe maintenance would have a pair I could borrow.  The other front desk agent said, “Just give her the scissors.”  Ah, victory was mine as I was finally handed the pair of scissors.  I gave the gentleman my room number so if he didn’t get them back he could feel free to stalk me, charge me or raid my room for his one pair of precious scissors.

I used the scissors and in less than two hours I was back at the front desk to return them.  I looked around for Dan the front desk agent that begrudgingly allowed me to borrow them.  I wanted to hand them to him directly so he knew I was trustworthy and scissorworthy.  The other front desk agent that told Dan to give me the scissors was there.  He noticed me and called me over.  I thanked him for allowing me to use the ever coveted scissors.  He proceeded to tell me that Dan was very protective of the scissors because so many people would borrow them and never return them.  He joked that for two dollars he thought the hotel could afford to buy a replacement pair should they not be returned.  He also apologized and thanked me for returning them assuring me he would let Dan know that I had in fact returned the scissors.

I found this entire exchange about the scissors with Dan and the other front desk agent ironic as I was presenting at a conference dedicated to sales and service.  I started to think about the experience Dan created for me.  I felt like a common criminal, I mean how dare I ask to borrow scissors for more than a minute!  Just because other guests didn’t return the scissors I was being punished.  Dan assumed I would run off to Tahiti with his scissors and he would never see them again.  It doesn’t take much sometimes to make a difference for your guest, client, customer, students, co-workers or family.  Each individual you come in contact with is just that an individual.  If you allow your past experiences and assumptions to cloud your judgment when providing service realize that more often than not it will come back to bite you.  In order to truly create an experience for your customer you have got to provide personalized service, you have got to meet their needs and you must do it in a positive manner.  It doesn’t take much, just give them the scissors!!

What experience are your employees creating for those you serve?