Mall Kiosk Surprise

Check out my new watch band. I know, not very exciting. Turns out, the interesting part of the band was the experience in buying it.

I stopped by a kiosk that sells cheap watches in the mall to pick up a new band. My expectations were set pretty low - I was going to flip through a plastic display case of bands, and settle no doubt, on an incorrectly sized women's band.

The kid selling at the counter, however, wouldn't hear of it. He took my watch and disappeared into a cabinet below the kiosk and returned with four options. He explained which ones were more casual and dressy. He ensured they fit the watch and were for the right gender. He asked me if I had the original buckle for the band, as it is a Movado watch, so the buckle has an engraved M on it (I don't, I lost the original band years ago). Finally, after taking the time to install the band he had me try it on to confirm it was The One.

Overall, I was really impressed with all this service. Here was a kid who could have blown off his lame job at the mall, but was instead treating me like I was buying a $2,000 watch, not a $20.00 band.

This kid will do well in sales, he's already figured out that you can impress customers regardless of the cost of the item, the brand or the store environment.

For the rest of us, it's a reminder that we have no excuses for not wowing our customers. (And we all have customers - bosses, peers, wives, etc.)

--Ben