Will they bring you flowers when you retire?

One of the best gauges of true customer loyalty is the question, ‘Will they bring you flowers when you retire?’

This idea was sparked by a recent occasion I had the privilege of witnessing: the retirement of Rocco, a waiter at the famous Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar on Bourke Street in Melbourne. On the day of his retirement, Rocco also celebrated 50 years of working at the iconic spaghetti bar, and raving fans and loyal customers came to the restaurant to shower him with flowers, pay their respects and offer deep gratitude for his ongoing, consistent, reliable and professional service.

When he handed back the same set of keys to the restaurant that he’d received on his first day, there was a tear in my eye. I saw in that moment how much of a life this man had made of his customer service role as a waiter, and what he’d achieved over 50 years. I also saw how many lives he’d touched over those years and the subtle impact he’d had on people just by doing his job, by being in service.

Rocco had made a life out of being in service as a professional waiter. He’d met his wife at work, married, had children, bought properties and provided security for his large Italian family. He’d achieved the Australian dream of all migrants arriving here in the 70s.

He’d made friends for life among his customers, and many used to come from far and wide just to sit up at Pellegrini’s bar and share a pasta and granita with him. He was a familiar face, and they’d created memories with him.

This week, globally, we celebrate Customer Service Week. Leading up to this week, I’ve been reflecting on the term ‘customer service’ and on the fact that it doesn’t exactly evoke the enthusiasm it once did. I think it’s time we elevated the term ‘customer service’ again – and elevated how we see the role of service professionals. They may appear to be doing an ordinary task or job role, yet they have a profound impact on you, me and our society at large.

We need more Roccos in our world: people who feel proud and privileged to do the work of service. But for more Roccos to exist, perhaps we first need, as a society, to appreciate their role more deeply – to appreciate the important place that front-line service staff have in the fabric of our culture.

So, this week, take a moment to thank someone who’s been serving you and tell them how much you appreciate them.

If you’re reading this as a service professional yourself, and wondering how much your customers appreciate you, just ask yourself, ‘Will they bring me flowers when I retire?’ It’s a great aspiration to live into – and you’re an extraordinary human being if you answered yes! Thank you for your service.