This weekend my Husband and I visited Sears looking to purchase
a new refrigerator. I was wearing my favorite pair of ripped jeans (which are straddling
the line of decency) and my Husband donned a ragged long-sleeve tee shirt
dating back to High School that he clings to like a blankie. An associate named
Jeff approached us and was very pleasant in offering his assistance. He was
always available to help, but didn’t hover.
Jonathan (my Husband) and I left Sears to do some price comparisons
and returned to Sears before long. Back at Sears, an older gentleman approached
us; we asked for Jeff. “Which Jeff?—there are four Jeffs. I’ll look, and if we
can’t find him, I can help you.”
“Just ask if anyone was helping a scruffy-looking couple,” I
said. The associate laughed as if he were thinking it but didn’t want to say
it.
After a token effort to find “The Jeff,” they paged Jeff
White. Moments later, our Jeff appeared with a big smile: “You came back!” We
were glad to purchase a mid-range refrigerator from Jeff specifically, because
he seemed genuinely committed to assisting us, regardless of our scruffy
appearance—and presumably regardless of whether we would purchase a baseline
model or something better. His service was spot on at all times.
I especially appreciate Jeff’s approach because I keep the same
attitude about customers at Telligent: whether I am speaking with NASDAQ or
Loser.com (yes, two of my actual clients), I know that my service is equally as
important to each of them. Of course Telligent’s Professional Services can work
magic with big budgets, but for those clients who have a lot of passion for
their communities and just enough money for a Community Server license, I enjoy
spending a few minutes offering suggestions of how to use out-of-the-box
Community Server features to initiate an active community on their own. Chances
are, more than a few of them will have great success and return to Telligent for
that same Exceptional Service and Predictable Results that will take their
community to the next level.