Is being "ok" really okay?

Posted by Joshua Keen on Saturday, January 13th, 2007 at 5:20am.

Jeffrey Pinkerton of HillSide Lending recently posted this article on the problem with being OKAY in a service oriented business.

Have you ever had a waiter or waitress ask you if your meal is “okay?” Isn’t that a strange question, “Is everything with your meal ok?” It’s like saying, “Is everything with your meal average?” Wouldn’t the better question be, “Is everything with your meal excellent?” Or better yet, “Is everything with your meal finding your great satisfaction!?”

What has happened to going above and beyond what people expect?

My waitress never asked me if my meal was excellent! And I'm not talking about my last trip to the Golden Coral either. That being said, I'm left more inclined to inquire if "going above and beyond" ever really happened at all. Sure...there are your Nordstroms' of the world, but I'd bet a steak dinner against you giving me the name of 10 more service providers that have really knocked your socks off with service in the last...well...forever, really.

Jeffrey doesn't end by pinning this one on the waitress though...there is really more to it than that and he sees it very clearly. In a world being consumed by consumerism, the consumer has more power than they like to let on and the power of an informed consumer armed with penetrating questions is the greatest weapon against mediocre service.

simply ask this question, “Mr./Mrs. Loan Officer, how are you going to ensure that at the end of this process, after everything is signed and done, and closed, how are you going to make sure that I am a thrilled and happy customer? So thrilled that when I think about getting a mortgage, I am going to think about you? So thrilled that when I hear of someone else thinking about getting a mortgage, I am going to tell them about you?”

In fact, replace the mortgage specific context with any given service oriented business and by answering this question you have the recipe for a successful business. Afterall, if you're paying $250 for a pair of levi's questions tend to roll off the tongue quite naturally.

And, Jeffrey, if you're ever in need of a professional endorsement - I'd be happy to oblige.