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I was in Las Vegas from June 19-28 doing volunteer work for Deaf Seniors of America. It was a fantastic experience. 1,900 senior citizens in attendance and I am in awe. It was an inspiration seeing sea of white hairs gathering. I watched their conversation. It ranged from their old day at institution and college days to their current ailment of health.

The funniest moment was when I help getting more chairs for the workshop, “How to Keep It Hot after 50″, a sex workshop by mental health presenter. I stay there collecting the survey. It was hilarious watching senior citizen bantering on the sexuality. That workshop was packed for next few days. I felt bad when I had to steal the chairs from the workshop next room.

The conference was entertaining yet dangerous. There was at least 30 motor scooter running around. I had to be on alert to get hitting. Sigh, some are a bit senile and drove recklessly. It fascinated me when I saw the motor scooter gathering together just to chat. They went in a circle. The size of motor scooter took up the space and it was a huge circle.

The vibrancy of the conference has given me and glimpse to my future. I observe and I seek for a healthy and fit senior citizen who I could model after. There were few at present. Friends and I striked a conversation on what like we will be in next few decades. I pray that I am healthy and well.

The major play I learned working as a volunteer was how to give a superb customer service. I am studying for MBA at Grand Canyon University at Ken Blanchard School of Business. Two things brought out me were emphatic and quality of service. As a student of marketing, I understood the demographic and psychographic of senior citizens. But, this senior citizen was a different group. It was a deaf senior citizen. Being deaf and with the history they survived had more hardship than what I went through. They didn’t have equal access when they were young. They had to work harder in order to have a good living. Many of them were on limited budget. I had to be considerate of their spending. It may have cost them an arm and a leg coming to the conference. It was the conference where they can once reunite with their old friends and to pick up new knowledge. Every where I turn, there was a small circle of senior citizens catching up. I see laughing and hugging happen across the room. Everyday, I pick up good energy circulating in the room.

I understand the real meaning of customer service when I finally saw the smile on senior citizens faces and a sign of relief. To see a smile, you had to go an extra mile rendering a good quality service.

Here are few examples:

I was asking for an advice on good place to eat. I throw out few suggestions. All of them were rejected due cost of menu and distance. The rejections have given me a feedback. I modify my recommendation based on their ability of walking distance and size of wallet. I ask series of questions to find what their appetite is up for thus I can offer a selection of eateries.

When a recommendations are generated. This is a basic customer service. To put an extra mile in customer service, I offered escort them to the eateries. In Las Vegas casinos, you get lost easily. It is casinos’ evil plan. I got myself lost few times. The escort is a small thing that made a huge difference. I know this frustration will stir up among the senior citizens. I took their burden away and lead to the place where they can afford a decent meal.

The next day, this lady I guide them to eatery, came to me. She told me how much she appreciated my help. It was a compliment when she told me she is going to vote me as a best volunteer.  But, being deaf and it is norm of the culture that they are straightforward. She told me all of her friends and she had a major diarrhea from the Japanese restaurant they picked. I offer them a selection and they picked. I am completely off the hook. But, a sincere compliment and a story of diarrhea made my day.

Second, a lady asked where she can break her dollar bill. I offered to show where the cashier cage is. This guide turns into an hour service. She saw a little boy wear Yarmulke. She asked the mother where can she go to Rabbi’s house for a dinner since it is Judaism holiday. This lady asked me if I can wait. I have no problem with that. I will be glad as long she finds where she needs to be. But, we were near the cashier cage. Instead, we took a detour going to this lady’s room in hotel. It was a penthouse and I sat through the whole conversation of them make a plan on how she can go to the Rabbi’s house. In the end, she was turn down at close notice when the car pool was full although she was offered a spot. However, keep her company while she waits. In a way, it boosts her self-esteem which she came from a hard time in her past. All I do was sitting and listen. I offered emphatic responses. Then, I add extra mile which I offered that I will ask locals to see if they can take her to Rabbi’s house. I warned her that they maybe will reject. She couldn’t really afford a $40 dollars cab ride. In the end, I don’t know if she made it but the strive of get her to where she need to be and keep company has made a difference.

There were many small acts such as give them direction, guide, talk, help, and make them happy through the day. They came far away to be reunited with their friends and to be revived. It is a moment that I put all my fullest in make this possible. The major consideration was making it convenience around their healthy and their budget.

The bottom line of a Superb Customer Service was going extra mile. A company with superb customer service practiced this method. How they make it possible? The CEO built an organization framework that will allowed their employees to do its best in their capacity. One way CEO make this happen was authorizing the employees up to $100 to $500 on fixing the problem for customer. This encourage the employees to think creatively with permission to solve a problem. This beat going through red tape getting permission which take forever. The result will cause the customer becoming disloyal and possible badmouthing the business.

The customer service is part of marketing and sales department. The departments must take a proactive responsible in ensuring the ability of customer services. I enjoy Zappos.com’s customer service. It is the best company to study its customer service. You will see how many customers rant about the upgrade to free shipping when they didn’t ask for it. They literally got their shoes the next day. This is Zappos.com’s way of give 10 times its value. In the end, you end up order more from Zappos.com. It is all about customer experience shopping. Just go extra mile. You and customers will feel great because you did a right thing. If everyone are doing this in the life and world will become more peaceful.

In nutshell, the superb customer service, going an extra mile and doing 10x the value for the customer. You will see a thousand fold of results in the end.