What is the most important rule of customer service? What should every sales clerk do for their customers?

On a rainy day in the mid-1800s, an elderly woman walked into a Pittsburgh department store to protect herself from the rain.

All the vendors on the floor assumed that she was just looking around and had no intention of buying anything. They even ignored her when she stopped at their counter.

Finally, the old woman approached a young employee who smiled at her and asked, “May I serve you?”

She replied, “No, I’m just killing time waiting for the rain to stop so I can go home.”

The young clerk replied smiling at her: “Very good ma’am. Can I get you a chair?” Without waiting for an answer, he pulled out an armchair for her to sit on.

When the rain stopped, the young clerk took the lady by the arm, walked her out into the street and said goodbye.

When he left, he asked for his card.

A few months later, the shop owner received a letter requesting that this young man be sent to Scotland to order furniture for a house.

The store owner replied, “I’m sorry, but that young man does not work in the home furnishings department. However, if you wish, we could send an ‘experienced man’ to do the job.”

Shortly after submitting the reply, he received a letter from none other than one of the richest men in the world at the time, Andrew Carnegie. “No one else will do it except this particular young man.”

The letter was signed by Andrew Carnegie and the house he wanted to furnish was Ski Bo Castle. The old woman was Andrew Carnegie’s mother, Margaret Carnegie. “

The young man (employee) was sent to Scotland and received an order for furniture worth several hundred thousand dollars (worth several million dollars in today’s currency).

Later, the young man became an owner with a medium interest in the store due to the size of the order. (From Napoleon Hill’s book “Your Magic Power to Be Rich”.)

What lessons about customer service did you learn from this young Pittsburgh store clerk?

1) Make everyone feel like a guest of honor or a VIP.

2) Every conversation, every interaction is like planting seeds. Some may never sprout, but many will grow.

3) You never know when an opportunity will arise! Always put your best foot forward and go the extra mile. Smile, bow, ask how you can help your client. And take the next step to help them feel important, like an honored and welcome guest in your business.

First impressions count! Make a good one!