By David Chew, SBA Credit Analyst, Core Bank
In September my fiancé and I were fortunate enough to take a vacation of a lifetime to Ireland.
Leaving America, we were skeptical about what to expect, how we were going to get around (driving on the left side of the road), and what we were going to eat if there wasn’t fast food on every corner. One of our planned excursions was to visit Bunratty Castle.
That’s when things got interesting.
We had a dinner show pre-booked at Bunratty Castle where they sing songs, tell stories, and read poems. This was our first castle tour and were getting excited on our way there. When we checked in with the hostess, she explained that she had no record of our booking. And that we were standing on the grounds of Dunguaire Castle. After calling around, I realized I had driven to the wrong castle… are you kidding me?
Needless to say, panic set in. Dinner was supposed to start in 5 minutes at Bunratty Castle, and we were an hour away from where we were supposed to be. The hostess told us not to worry… they were going to squeeze us in for dinner and show at Dunguaire Castle. I couldn’t believe that they would go above and beyond to make sure we were able to enjoy our evening, even though I had driven to the wrong place.
On to the next excursion…
The Cliffs of Moher
We headed for the 90-minute drive to the Cliffs of Moher for a walking tour.
The walking tour was with a local farmer who does one tour every day (this is an 8 kilometer walk which is approximately 5 miles uphill the entire way.)
Ten minutes into the tour it was obvious how passionate the guide was about the Cliffs and the beauty they offer. He was proud of his town and country. During the tour we would stop to let the rest of the group catch up. He would tell stories, and help us maneuver parts of the muddy and rocky walking path. There was a 300 foot drop 12 inches to the right of the path and an electric cattle fence on the left. Yikes!
It would have been easy to get frustrated at the conditions of the walk. Uphill, windblown, physically demanding, cold and wet. But the guide went above and beyond to make sure we had a once in a lifetime experience where nothing mattered but the beauty of the cliffs. His attitude made all the difference.
Customer Service is Crucial
Both of the situations we had on our trip got me thinking about customer service. We all have the opportunity to impact people in a positive or negative way, depending on how we treat them. Our experience in Ireland was great because of the people we met and their commitment to providing the best service possible. This reminded me why going above and beyond for our clients at Core Bank is so important. There are always things we can’t control, but the way we treat people, and our attitudes toward solving problems are the things people will never forget.