As an avid sports fan, I frequently turn to ESPN.com for the latest news and information about the teams I follow. It’s rare in the sporting world to find examples of awesome customer service but a wonderful story recently caught my attention.
A fan recently sent a wedding invitation to Peyton Manning. To her surprise and amazement she received a response declining the invitation but offering “Best Wishes” and an autograph.
The sporting world is filled with examples of people and organizations who couldn’t care less about their customers. Insert story about an athlete flipping off a crowd or refusing to stop for an autograph. A wise parent advises their children to appreciate athletes for their abilities but not treat them as role models. I have suspected for a long time that Peyton Manning is the exception to the rule and this story confirms it.
Peyton Manning is also a role model for those of us in customer service. You see, this illustrates that he knows who his customers are and gestures such as this amaze them. Whether you are an athlete, a musician, a customer service representative, a mail carrier, a stay at home parent or a myriad other occupations, you have customers. Find ways daily to deliver awesome customer service to them. Thank you Peyton Manning for so beautifully illustrating this point and being my newest customer service role model.
Jeremy Watkin is the Director of Customer Service at Phone.com with 12+ years experience as a customer service professional. He is also the co-founder and regular contributor on Communicate Better Blog.
