I hired a man on his looks alone.
And boy was it worth paying for.
A friend pointed out “You did what men usually do. You chose someone for their looks alone!”
Guilty as charged. I hired a man for one night of service.
Well, it’s not as sexy as all that, but it could have been.
My company exhibits at a large casino gaming show annually and we also hold a poolside party. Typically, Marge, a retired ex-employee of ours, works the door with me, greeting, putting on wrist bands, etc. She’s a super friendly senior and I’d prefer her welcoming our best clients over an unpolished college student any day.
This year she wasn’t available. Even my back up mother of two couldn’t fill in.
Perfect timing, I got an email from a staffing service that provides greeters for tradeshows and conventions. The price was right. My contact put together some photos of her staff I could choose from.
Well, this was new. I really was just looking for a dependable, senior type.
All the gals looked like professional models.
And that got me thinking. Why don’t I request a dude instead? At other venues, I’ve used security guards, which is nice with the rowdies and frankly, WHY NOT? Our female gaming executives probably had enough looking at sexy gals working the tradeshow floor as I did.
She sent me a link to photos of males I could choose from.
I sucked my breath in loud enough for my co-workers to hear me.
I think I blushed.
Damn! I looked around. I felt like was doing something naughty on my company computer.
Wow, who knew this could be so fun?
I immediately sent the link to all my gal pals to help me decide.
Having missed the online dating experience , I was informed by my more experienced female friends to prepare myself that guy who would show up would NOT look like he did in his photo and would NOT be as nice as the company representative told me he’d be.
To my delight, he was a 27-year-old “hunk” (boy, do I sound like an old fart) and he was charming with his ex-Marine and Southern manners. Let’s call him Zac, as that’s his real name.
During our four-hour relationship, I do believe that Zac was flirting with me. Very subtle mind you. You might think it was my cougar-aged wishful imagination, but I think not. I might be rusty but I’m not dead.
Chris and her man for hire this past October at the gaming show.
Zac requested a picture with me to send to his agency for proof that he showed up for the event. Okay, I’ll bite. An associate of mine took our picture and also had me take her picture with him. She jokingly suggested that a picture with his shirt off would be better. We all laughed and it was left at that.
Later, as the party was wrapping up, still respectful and professional, he leaned into me, his lips inches from my ear, his breath warm on my neck, and asked, “Would YOU like to see me with my shirt off?”
His face was close to mine; he was looking me straight in the eye, a little smile on his lips.
My eyebrows shot up and all I could reply awkwardly was, “No, no, no, no, thank you, but no.”
I think we both were a little embarrassed.
Boy, was that HOT for a gal that met her husband the same year this guy started kindergarten!
That night, when I went to my hotel room ALONE, I thought about what could have happened. What if I was single? Wow, what a terrific bang for my employers buck! Would I be that modern of a woman to do that?
I noodled over the evening in my head. What a truly fantastic service experience. The company delivered what they promised plus more: the bonus of making the client feel special.
What was shocking to me is that I didn’t really care if his individual attention was sincere or it could have been part of Zac’s training to “make the client feel special.”
And there you have it. The secret to customer service. Whether you’re a service provider like a pharmacist, a cocktail server, an auto mechanic, you get the picture. Over deliver every time. Make your customer feel like they are the most important person you’ve seen all day or that has called your company.