My wife and I have been compliant social distancers. We have found safety in being home together.
Just the other night, we decided to get take out from our favourite sushi restaurant, Sakai in Burlington. When I pulled in to pick up our order, I was instructed to call a number. The owner answered and carefully gave me instructions on how the transaction would unfold. Sounds more like a great crime movie than the reality we are experiencing right?
When he came outside, we kept our distance, but he expressed the most sincere appreciation for our order. Not that we have ever felt like we weren’t valued customers before, but there was something in the way he spoke and looked that was different. He conveyed the most genuine appreciation.
As he expressed his gratitude, I found myself empathizing with him. I found myself seeing past the business sign and seeing the owner. He’s a person, a dad, a husband, a human being. He’s put all he has into this restaurant and has worked hard to build his reputation. I asked about his family, he asked about mine. My wife and I have ordered from the restaurant over a 100 times, but I felt a sincere connection and appreciation like I never have before.
As I left, it made me realize that during the hardest of moments, we always find something to take from them. In this case, I am not sure what you take from such tragedy and hurt for so many with this pandemic, but for me I thought about these two things as it relates to business / customer relationships.
Maybe, the value of every customer will resurface because of these times. Perhaps the sincerity and authenticity I felt as a customer tonight will spread through all businesses the way it should. Perhaps the lackadaisical approach to customer service will change. Perhaps the customer will feel the appreciation they should. What would happen if we took care of customers like they are necessary, and not expected, every day? What if we were consistently good to our customers?
Behind every business, there is a person. Human beings. Individuals trying to achieve something. When we only see the sign over the door (or our own needs), we are missing an opportunity to form a connection. Perhaps the business has the obligatory mandate of taking care of customers, being good to customers, but I also believe customers have an obligation to be good as well. What if we took an interest in the people committed to serving us? What if we asked about them? What if we cared more about who they are?
There are much more significant learnings from this time, but as a business leader I’m always trying to find opportunities. In my view, it’s not whether we will get through this that I think about, it’s whether we will get through it smarter, stronger and more grateful as people and as businesses.
What I shared above is small in comparison to how these learnings can be extended to our broader lives. In essence, not taking anything for granted - our loved ones, our family, our freedom, our health, our jobs, all of it.
In the meantime, if you need great sushi, give Sakai a try.
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