Oh, how I love Waitrose!

A True Story Of Great Customer Service!

As someone who works for a major Airline where we are constantly critiqued on our Customer Service, I love to see examples of companies and employees who always get it right!

Tomorrow I am helping as a Marshal for a Sponsored Walk for a local charity, Yeldall Manor. It will be an all-day event so off I went to Waitrose to buy some sandwiches and snacks to keep me going and to share with other workers. Since I am also bringing flasks of hot water for coffee and tea, etc., I was hoping to buy a small box of sugar packets so that I wouldn't have to fiddle around at home with finding a small container for some sugar. I wasn't even sure if they sold such a thing.

So as I was searching the sugar section, a very nice lady asked if I was finding what I needed. I explained that I was packing a 'picnic' and why I was looking for sugar packets. No, they didn't sell them, but maybe I could pick some up in their cafe? "Oh, no", I said; "I am sure I will be just fine packing a small container of sugar." When she wished me a happy picnic, I told her a bit about the charity event, and then we said goodbye.

I spent another 10 minutes or so picking up a few other items and soon this very same lady came and found me and handed me a more than generous bag of sugar packets to take with me tomorrow. I was blown over! It was a small gesture but she cared enough to make sure I left the store with what I had been looking for. Equally impressive is how the Corporate Culture empowers their staff (Partners, actually, in the case of Waitrose), to provide great Customer Service. I wish many more companies would emulate this kind of ethos!

I remain a committed and loyal Waitrose customer! Always!