So I am here attending the Career Thought Leaders Conference and Symposium and having a great time learning and affirming! Last night, I arrived early with about 30% of the total attendees and, after a great reception with snacks and bevs, headed out to eat at the famed and slightly pretentious Morton’s Steak House on the Inner Harbor. This restaurant is award-winning:
Recent Awards/Videos:
Baltimore Magazine: Readers’ Choice Best Steakhouse, Best Service and Best Place to Go for a Special Occasion
Baltimore Magazine: Reader’s Poll Best Steak and Best Service
Now, I must tell you that a favorite meal of mine consists of a glass of cabernet, a salad with blue cheese dressing, a great steak and creamed spinach. Just like that.
OK, so we sit down at our beautifully-set table with formal settings and pressed tablecloth. We arethen presented with menus that are carrying prices almost as weighty as the waiter’s ‘presentation’ plate of hunks of raw meat. OK, I rationalized, a $40 steak must be darn good to cost $40. So I ordered the Morton’s house salad (sans anchovies), the creamed spinach side, and the single cut filet mignon with nearly breathless anticipation of my delectable meal.
My $11 side salad arrived with great fanfare, however the taste was about as tantalizing as plain oatmeal. Seriously, where was the great blue cheese tang and flavor in the salad? I politely told the waiter that the salad was not so tasty and by this time, the meals were being presented. He indicated he would take the salad off the bill. No big deal, I was waiting for The Main Event.
Just then, my colleague across the table, Robin Schlinger , was presented with a beautiful specimen of meat and my mouth watered in anticipation of my very own steak.
Instead, what was presented to me was a cut of meat about 2/3 the size of Robin’s and had gristle all the way through a part of it, rendering the ‘meat’ on the outside of it marbled with fat. Yuck. What was I to do? I had already sent back my tasteless salad. Was I again going to draw attention to myself amidst my colleagues. Filet mignon is not supposed to have gristle…my mind raced, what to do? A quick decision that my mouth made before my head got wind of it was to tell the waited that my piece of meat did not appear to be a filet. Robin scrutinized my steak, then hers, and back at mine and declared it to be true. I was validated! Thank you Robin! I am victorious against Morton’s!
Feeling very embarrassed at this time, I could only shake my head. Just then, the waiter came by and asked if I would enjoy a bowl of their lobster bisque on the house as I awaited my steak to be finished. I gratefully accepted as 11 other colleagues munched happily on their dinners. The bisque arrived and was delicious. Another waiter slipped quietly next to me and whispered his apologies and let me know my meat would be done in ’4 minutes’. No problem, I thought, soon my perfect filet mignon and I will be meet!
My filet arrived and the waiter indicated he would stay nearby as I cut into to it make sure it was cooked ‘medium’ and to my liking. I waved him away with a sheepish look, mumbling something about it being just fine. Then I actually cut into the meat. A loud “mooooooooooooo!” sound bellowed across the dining room. Well, no, not exactly, but for how rare this steam was, it was practically still alive. My head twirled around frantically knowing I would have to send the meat back and again call attention to myself, and not in a good way. Luckily, the waiter was about arm’s distance from me and whisked it away with an apology and a reminder that he was, indeed, standing nearby to wait “because he wanted to make it perfect for me.”
Because he wanted to make it perfect. For me. Those words made me feel special, appreciated and wanted as a customer.
The steak came back just right. All wait staff involved check on me several times to ensure I had what I needed. Not in a groveling way, but in a professional, truly caring way which I respected.
Oh! And at dessert there was a large piece of cheesecake that half the table and I shared which Morton’s graciously comped off of my bill.
Here, I thought, is a great lesson in customer service and that is if you make something wrong, simply own up to it, apologize, make it right and go above and beyond ensuring your customer is happy. Very happy. Happy enough to forget fatty steak and to give you a great tip plus referrals and return business. Treat each customer as though you want to make it perfect. For them. This service will come back to support you in droves. And the next time I am in Baltimore, I will be going to Morton’s Steak House and they will have my vote to support their award from Baltimore Magazine for Reader’s Poll Best Steak and Best Service. What’s your customer service turnaround story and how do you use customer service to uphold your brand?
Kelly Welch is a veteran HR professional, Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Professional Resume Writer, and Career Advancement Coach. She regularly provides critical career insights and perspectives to the delight and success of her clients.