Page 106 - The Starbucks Experience

Surprise and Delight

possible. So I walked into this Starbucks and stood in line
with a bunch of men in suits and ties, my gym shorts almost
hanging down to my flip-flops. I got to the counter and was
about to place my order when the barista, a young guy with
a goatee, asked, ‘How was your weekend?’”
“My mouth hung open, and a low, burbling sound came
out,” continues Ira. “I had expected a mundane question, not
this kind of familiar, and dare I say intimate, opener between
two confidantes. I was impressed, as I believe civility and
politeness are two important things missing from our lives
these days. All I could come up with for an answer was, ‘I’m
not from around here.’
“The barista immediately asked, ‘Oh, where are you
from?’” And, Ira comments, “He actually sounded sincere,
which I found hard to believe. I explained where I lived and
what we had been doing on our vacation, and we had a nice 91
conversation. As I was putting my cream in my coffee, a
woman who had overheard my discussion with the barista
joined in and all three of us chatted amiably. Both she and
the barista began giving me tips on what to see in Seattle. I
felt oddly happy. Even if it had been a little nothing conver-
sation, I had made a brief connection with people in passing
whom I would probably never see again. Whenever that hap-
pens, at a Starbucks or anywhere else, it’s always a pleasant
surprise.”
Rather than encouraging trite customer service sayings like
“Have a nice day” or other scripted communications, suc-
cessful leaders help staff look for genuine opportunities to do
the positively unexpected. Whether it is in the service of cus-
tomers, coworkers, or suppliers, the willingness to take a gen-
uine interest in another person is often among the most
pleasant surprises of all.