Aaaand Scene
As I went through the Starbucks drive through in Neptune Beach, FL the other day, I had a lot on my mind. I was distracted and not necessarily in a good way. As I was heading to see my dad, I pulled through and ordered a Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte – I’ve been trained well.
As I pull up to the window, the young guy at the window is smiling at me like he’s had 4 shots of espresso in the last hour. He’s as positive as can be and I can’t help but courteously smile back. I pay, get my coffee, and right as I begin to pull out he spots something in my passenger seat.
Half-joking Starbucks bro: “I see you’ve been cheating on us, eh?”
Sheepish me: “Uh…Um…No! I mean, yes, but it was because I was traveling and there wasn’t a Starbucks…”
Bro: “Haha it’s OK, you’re here now! Have a great day!”
Me: “Haha will do, you too. Merry Christmas!
Bro: “Merry Christma…..”
I was caught off guard, big time. He spotted a Dunkin Donuts coffee cup in my car from the day prior. I stopped on the way to Florida and Dunkin was the chief coffee supplier in that particular fueling station.
Customer Loyalty
This bro knew that the brand he represented had such a cult-like following that he could get away with a statement like that and I would get the joke! I loved it, I was blown away by his ability to think on his feet and make me laugh from a drive-thru. Would he be able to do that if he worked at a McDonald’s? Hardly.
Starbucks Bro didn’t need to know that I regularly have Starbucks and that’s my coffee spot of choice in my hometown. All he knows is that the average Starbucks drinker swings by 18 times per month. He knows his customers are loyal and he has a bond with them, even if they’re not one of his regulars. He can make jokes like that an not make people feel uncomfortable. He read the situation very well and acted quickly to make me remember this interaction so much that I wrote about it.
A Linchpin
This type of interaction is the work of a Linchpin. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of Seth Godin’s work. One of my favorite books of all time is Linchpin. I think everyone should read it, I promise it’s applicable to your life.
Seth defines a Linchpin as someone that is indispensable: the server that has an ability to calm customers and gets along with all of the kitchen staff during rush hour. The doorman that always brightens everyone’s day, no matter what. The VP that treats everyone in the organization the same from top to bottom and goes above and beyond the call of duty. These are people that bring their best selves to work. They don’t just serve coffee and smile, they create a WOW experience. Starbucks bro, thanks for creating an unforgettable experience!
Can we Create Linchpins?
The short answer is no. But we can encourage this type of behavior in our workplaces. When someone does something that is out of the normal, encourage them or thank them to let them know their work is recognized. We can do our best to hold those people in high regard that don’t just punch in and punch out.
And finally, we can invest in our people. When we invest in our people, they want to give more. Starbucks has great continual learning programs, it’s not a surprise that I had this sort of interaction. When we invest in our people, they repay us by shining to our customers.
What can we do to bring our best selves to work? What can we do to create unforgettable experiences for our customers and co-workers? What can we do to encourage the work of Linchpins in our organizations?
I’d love to hear your experiences with Linchpins in different situations, leave a comment below or chat with me on Twitter.
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Christmas is tomorrow!
I am very thankful to have each of you reading my blog. Writing is fun for me and I hope that I am bringing each of you value!
Merry Christmas!
