During college, I had a job not known for its kind rendering of customer service. The position was called Hall Director over the Residence Halls. Residence Halls was a dressed up way for saying dorms and Hall Director was the boss of the RA’s. To my leader’s credit, in staff meetings, he started a “customer service moment” in trying to turn some of the long-standing crabbiness of working with the students around. This took place in my second staff meeting and the first moment he shared was Bob Farrell’s “Give ’em the pickle”, see below.

I was grateful for the principle and “Give ’em the pickle” became our departments rallying cry. I didn’t know how “bad” it was before I got there, but it was clear this united our department. Give ’em the pickle, be a customer hero, inspire the customer, and surprise and delight are all rallying cries that I’m grateful were in the cultures of the places I’ve worked and interacted with customers.

Many focus mostly on the giving the customer something part of Mr. Farrell’s principle.  The “making it right”, which often means giving something, is an important part of this story. But the most powerful part to me has always been not letting the angriest of angry complainers go without a fight. Someone that has enough passion to write an angry letter or tweet might just have that passion rooted in a strong love for your company. Generally, the silent or unspoken complaint is the one I’m most concerned about because they will just leave your business without giving you the chance to win them back. The vocal ones are clear on their concerns and give you the open door to fix, address or at least acknowledge their concerns and pain points.

Whether you are re-reading this ‘classic’ again or just reading it for the first time, in addition to pondering Bob’s questions at the end, I invited you to ask yourself these two questions:

1) What are we doing to invite more of our customers to help us find the pain points?

2) Are my employee’s views toward the most vocal complainers that of welcoming feedback?

Enjoy the read or re-read!

Bob Farrell’s idea for giving pickles came from the following letter.

Dear Mr. Farrell,

I’ve been coming to your restaurant for over three years. I always order a #2 hamburger and a chocolate shake. I always ask for an extra pickle and I always get one. Mind you, this has been going on once or twice a week for three years.

I came into your restaurant the other day and I ordered my usual #2 hamburger and a chocolate shake. I asked the young waitress for an extra pickle. I believe she was new because I hadn’t seen her before. She said, “Sir, I will sell you a side of pickles for $1.25.” I told her, “No, I just want one extra slice of pickle. I always ask for it and they always give it to me. Go ask your manager.”

She went away and came back after speaking to the manager. The waitress looked me in the eye and said, “I’ll sell you a pickle for a nickel.” Mr. Farrell, I told her what to do with her pickle, hamburger, and milkshake. I’m not coming back to your restaurant if that’s the way you’re going to run it.

He signed his name and, fortunately for me, included his address. I wrote him a letter and enclosed a card for a free hot fudge sundae. I assured him we don’t run our business that way, apologized, and asked him to please come back. I had a chance meeting with him years later and I thanked him in person for his letter because it became the “war cry” of our young company, “Give ‘em the Pickle.” When something happens with a customer and you’re not sure what to do? “Give ‘em the Pickle!” Do what it takes to make things right!

The pickle philosophy has evolved from there as it’s been put into practice at various businesses. It may be about going the extra mile to make customers happy or putting your own personal stamp on customer service that sets you apart from your competition. At my favorite tire store, they literally run to greet me when I step out of my car in the parking lot. I’ve met garbage collectors who stop to start lawn mowers and coffee baristas who add a heart or other designs in the latte foam. Those are all pickles. What are yours?