What Can I Do To Make It Right For You?

Sharon and I did something tonight that we have never done before - we ordered "take-out" at Chili's. All three boys are at the Senior High Retreat and we were home alone. We didn't want to wait to be seated at a restaurant so we decided to place a "take-out" order at Chili's. We love their salads and thought it would be nice to enjoy our meal in our warm home.

Sharon placed the order and was told the food would be ready in 15-20 minutes. So far, so good. I arrived at the "take-out" door and asked if the order for Kim Pagel was ready yet. The server went back to the kitchen and brought back a carry-out sack with two meals. I paid for the food and drove back home. I couldn't wait to dive into my Buffalo Chicken Salad.

The phone rang shortly after I came in the door and it was the manager at Chili's. It seems as there had been a mix up. I had been given the wrong order. Another Kim arrived right after I left and she received my food. I looked in the bag and sure enough, I had the other Kim's food. What are the chances! Bummer, I would have to make another trip out in the cold.

But here's where the story becomes impressive. First of all the manager himself called me. He didn't wait for me to call and he didn't have the server call me. He apologized for the mix up and then said, "What can I do to make it right for you?" Wow! I was impressed. All I wanted was the food I ordered, so he told me to keep the wrong order and to return and he would have my order ready for me.

When I returned to the pick-up door and asked for my order, the server went and got the manager. He apologized twice for the inconvenience that their mistake had caused me. Once again, he did it personally. And he didn't make excuses or blame the server who made the mistake. And to top it all off, he handed my an Chili's envelope and told me that he wanted me to have some gift certificates that I could use the next time I came to Chili's. I opened the envelope when I got home to find four $5 gift certificates! Needless to say, I was impressed!

When it was all said and done, we received four meals (we only ate two of them!) and had a net $5 left over. Not a bad nights work. I told Sharon that we need to do "take-out" more often!

But more importantly, I experienced over-the-top customer service. The manager turned the mistake and inconvenience into an opportunity to demonstrate humility and integrity. I returned home feeling valued rather than inconvenienced. All because a manager took responsibility and asked,"What can I do to make it right for you?"