A Full Glass of Water

A full glass of water. Is that too much to ask for?

I drink a lot of water. A LOT. Especially when I’m at a restaurant. I can drink upwards of 5-6 large glasses of water during one meal – many times even more. Hey, I’m thirsty.  

But it drives me madly insane when my water is NOT kept full by the wait staff. I typically must ask for a refill the first time because I think they’re thrown off by my uncanny thirst. To drop a hint, I’ll smile coyly and make a self-deprecating remark like, “Yeah, sorry, I drink a ton of water”. But make no mistake, I’m not one of those picky pain-in-the-@$$ people who have to ask 100 questions about every menu option, and then order something with convoluted alterations. I’ll take the chicken special “as is”… but please, just keep the water coming.

THAT’S YOUR CUE!

I’m a customer. I just told you about my need. It’s a simple one really. Just keep the glass full. Leave the pitcher if you must or stick a straw in one if that’s easier. Heck, just run the frakkin’ garden hose to my table! I just want water. How basic can you get? Alas, some satiate my need, while others elect to ignore it.

Here’s a confession now. The tip I leave is often proportional to the frequency my water glass was refreshed, or inversely so to the number of times I have to ask (minus the first to be fair).

SO, WHAT’S THE MORAL OF THE STORY?

Many times, a happy customer is someone who just needs the basics – nothing special. They just want that one simple thing that isn’t really difficult to deliver, or outside the scope of what your company should be doing. In fact, it may be a default option. Don’t overlook the everyday opportunities to execute on the little, expected, and ordinary things. Look for the obvious cues, or just ask good questions. That’s what keeps most people happy, coming back for more, and delighted to speak favorably about you.

My glass is now empty… gotta run… well, you know where…