The Lollipop Man (and the true value of customer service)

 

On my way to work each morning I wave at a Lollipop Man. Or, to be more accurate, he waves at me.

I don't know him. He doesn't know me, but he waves, every day, without fail with a broad smile on his face.

I'll be honest, it makes me feel good to be waved at and smiled at. In a world where no one smiles and waves enough anymore it seems to me this wave and smile means a lot.

And I'm not the only one he waves at. He waves at all cars that come into his world as he waits for the kids at the local school to cross. On the times I have been early to work he's even waved from his parked car at me.

Yes, he even does it when kids aren't there yet and he's waiting to start his work.

But why does he do it? In my book "Have a Nice Day; Thank You I Won't" I talk about making people feel a certain way being the pillars of great customer service.

So I stopped, and parked, and asked him.

I introduced myself, said what I did and thanked him for what he did.

"I imagine you do this to affect a behavioural change in drivers who go past and may be in a hurry, " I said, "your acknowledgement makes them slow down right?"

And he smiled, and thought about it and he said: "Making people feel better makes them think about others I suppose, but to be honest I just do it because I want to work like that and it makes me feel better to get smiles and waves back. It's cold out here some mornings you know?"