Customer Satisfaction: How It’s Done
By
Leonard Zwelling
This blog has written a great deal about how things go wrong—education, scientific integrity, conflict of interest, politics. Today I want to comment about what happens when things go right.
On April 12, I had the privilege of using the services of two prominent Houston institutions-Kenny and Ziggy’s and River Oaks Helfman.
Kenny and Ziggy’s is the real New York style delicatessen that we so badly needed in Houston when we got here in 1984. I am sure that the BW and I eat there once a month. When I have a craving for nova or egg salad, this is the place I go.
Kenny and Ziggy’s also does catering and is especially busy during the high holidays (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) and on Passover. Every year the BW orders a few items for our Passover table from Ziggy and every year the routine is the same.
A form with your order is submitted either in person, by fax or lately by email although the latter is error-prone because this is an all-paper system. I usually arrive to pick up our order the day of the first Seder. In the back room, Ziggy himself asks for your name and looks you up in a long, printed list. There are no computers. He finds your order in his stack. Because I am Zwelling, I am last. On the top of the form the BW submitted in person is our number. It is 616 meaning that is the number of orders received. I am sent to a side table where an employee greets me and asks a runner to get the order. Within five minutes he reappears with the bag and the greeter goes through every item to make sure the order has been properly completed. Again, no computer. A credit card slips in the machine slot (I guess that’s sort of a computer). I am thanked and sent on my way. The system is efficient, error-free, and customer-focused—every time, every year, no exceptions.
Later that day, my son and daughter-in-law wanted to buy a car to haul around their large dogs who were tearing up my daughter-in-law’s SUV. When we need an American car, we got to Helfman. The Helfmans have been in the auto business in Houston for well over 50 years. Their first real dealership was at the site of the current River Oaks Chrysler on Kirby, but the original lot was for used cars on Washington and run by my friend Alan Helfman’s grandfather. Now Alan’s sons are running the businesses.
Blake Helfman greeted us and offered us the services of an extremely knowledgeable salesman to review all the options for my children. To make a long story short, we left three hours later with a brand new white Wrangler which was exactly what my children wanted at a great price and with no fuss.
These two businesses know how to operate and deliver service and a great product. The food from Kenny and Ziggy’s was terrific as always and my kids are excited about their new car.
That’s how business and the world ought to be run. I know it usually isn’t, but it’s great to know where such a world exists.
