Believe it or not, John Lewis department stores in the UK are actually expected to identify at least one example of a 'random act of kindness' in their branch each month. It’s a most unusual KPI that helps differentiate them from their competitors and create legendary service stories. These stories are then shared thus reinforcing the service culture. Here is a Christmas example.
It was a frantically busy day in the lead up to Christmas at their Southampton store. A staff member was helping a lady carry her shopping out to her MG sports car. So much shopping that she couldn’t close the little boot on the car. He took off his tie, tied down the boot, farewelled the customer and carried on with his work.
Isn’t that a wonderful example? No dilly dallying when he was needed elsewhere and yet he executed a simple act of gallantry. Akin to Sir Francis Drake laying his cape (with a flourish) on a puddle so that Queen Elizabeth I didn’t get her feet wet.
You can find out more about this fascinating company at www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk
And you can read an article I’ve written about John Lewis by clicking on ‘Lessons from Britain's Most Loved Retailer’.
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