This morning it was very cold when I got off the bike and went to have a hot tea in a bar/restaurant on Diagonal Street in Barcelona. I sat at the bar, and the smiling waiter in a very pleasant tone welcomed me and asked me what I wanted to drink. I immediately thought: “look how nice…” and the moment of the tea was like more pleasant.
That’s not all. The 10 minutes I was there, I was fascinated by the attitude of this waiter: smiling at everyone, jovial, greeting everyone who came in, calling many by name, confirming if today they also wanted the cold coffee with milk or the coffee short cut, or the tuna or ham sandwich but, mind you, without tomato. How could he remember all this?
Intrigued, I asked him. Or rather, first I congratulated him for his attitude, which I found remarkable, and then I asked him. His answer was very simple and very valuable: “I am here every day and I like to take care of my customers. That’s how I have a good time”. Chapeau!
This man showed me the power of commitment to achieve extraordinary results. When an employee is happy, enjoys his work, feels well treated, then his impact on customers is multiplied. How many people come back here every day because they call his name and remember what they like? Many, for sure. In fact, I have a customer next door where I go often and I will make it a pleasure to come back here.
It’s so simple and so complicated at the same time. This basic equation that says it all:
Motivated Employees Equals Satisfied Customers.