Oh, the joy of service appointments. You clear your schedule, have a hard talk with yourself about patience, and… wait. This week, I had two such experiences, and let’s just say, they were as different as night and day.

Picture two scenes. On the left, a tire shop bustling with activity, a symphony of pneumatic wrenches and rubber. On the right, we have a humble salon where my hairstylist, Holly, works her magic. 

I arrived on time for my appointment to get the tires rotated only to be told it would be an hour before they even touched my car. I’d taken time off work, arranged a babysitter for my camp-attending kiddo, and now I was stuck… waiting. Is there anything more frustrating than an unanticipated delay? Especially when with a heads up, you could have actually done something productive (like, say, picking up your own kid from camp)?

The next day, I was just wrapping up an interview before heading to the hair salon when Holly texted me in advance to say she was running 15 minutes late. Not ideal, but hey, I got to fire off a few emails and sip an extra cup of coffee.

Why am I sharing with you about these tales of tires and tresses, you might wonder. I mean, we all have to wait sometimes, right? 

Don’t miss the point here. It’s not about the waiting; it’s about the communicating.

In our hair salon scenario, there was clear, proactive communication. A little inconvenient? Sure. But it was an inconvenience softened by the courtesy of a heads-up. I had the chance to adjust my plan, which, as we all know, is as rare as a unicorn in the world of appointments.

But the tire shop. The communication (or lack thereof) turned what was a small inconvenience into a cascading domino effect of complications. My schedule was thrown off, my sitter was unnecessary, and my mood? Let’s just say it was flatter than a punctured tire.

In the end, these seemingly trivial appointments speak volumes about customer service. And, as Empower Teaming knows, good customer service isn’t just about fixing a problem or delivering a service. It’s about managing expectations, clear communication, and respect for customers’ time.

Whether you’re shaping a client’s hair or their business strategy, communication is the key. In the realm of customer service, you’re not just a provider; you’re a communicator. And that’s the real secret sauce to creating a recipe for repeat customers.