Celebrating those who give great customer service in Coachella Valley
Customer service, in all walks of life, is incredibly difficult to teach. I subscribe to the "you either have 'it'" theory or you do not. “It” cannot be taught. One has to be fortunate enough to be born with “it.”
I grew up in a retail family. My father owned a beautiful men’s and women’s haberdashery and I was relegated to the back room receiving and pricing goods upon arrival. Occasionally, I was summoned to work the sales floor while another salesperson was at lunch or called in sick. It was there that my dad took notice of my ability to sell. I morphed this into a long career including stints at Saks Fifth Avenue, POLO and Nordstrom. I then found my way into the mortgage industry where I found my true niche. I was able to relate to my clients on a personal level – I so enjoyed learning about them and their families.
Talk about irony: my wife, Elyssa, is in the women’s retail clothing business and has a boutique on fashionable El Paseo. To say that Elyssa has “it” would be a gross understatement. She relates to her client base on scale rarely seen. Her sidekick, Joanne Cooper, takes “it” to another level. Joanne is incredibly upbeat, meticulous and hardworking. She simply cannot help but be gracious in all she does. I often stop by the store just so she can make my day!
I have recognized “it” in a few select desert restaurants and other service-related businesses. Prior to working in retail clothing, I bussed tables and became a server at a few restaurants. This is such a demanding industry that rarely is recognized. A great server can make or break the dining experience. I often say that the food is secondary (in most cases) as long as the service in outstanding. Recently, I had the pleasure of dining with a few friends at Larkspur Grill located inside Hotel Paseo in Palm Desert. The server, Johnna Toscano, was in a word, amazing. She made us all feel so welcomed, cared for and like family. She definitely had “it” and it came so naturally that it stood out like a sore thumb (bizarre idiom). In fact, she inspired me to write this article.
My senses have been awakened as I journey searching for others who have “it.” I have found “it” at a few local grocery stores: While checking out at Whole Foods and Bristol Farms I often find myself engaged in scintillating conversations with their grocery clerks. I look forward to visiting and I always leave with a smile.
Marcie Seals at Jensen’s in Palm Desert definitely has “it.” She always makes me feel special and when she asks “how are you doing?” she truly means it. Her face lights up brightly when she sees me approach and mine does as well. My favorite moment is when I hoist my bag to depart, she leaves me with a heart ring formed by her genuine and caring hands.
Miguel Servin is the flower guru. Even though he operates the department for the store, he treats it as if it were his own. He, too, radiates upon seeing me and we engage in conversation whether I am purchasing a floral arrangement or not. He knows my wife’s and my mother’s preferences and goes out of his way to make even the simplest design special. He personifies “it!”
I have been fortunate to be able to shop at Jensen’s for over 30 years. It is so gratifying that it is still a locally owned/operated business. Besides Marcie and Miguel, everyone treats me like family. From the meat mavens to the dessert and pastry swans, everyone seems genuinely at ease and tremendously friendly.
If anyone reading is also a Jensen’s fan then you will join me in celebrating Richard Welsch. He has been a super checker there for as long as I can remember. Richard has an unassuming nature and cannot help but brighten the day of all who pass through his line. He has his sayings and quirks that he shares with every patron he encounters. There is nothing phony about him and he epitomizes the “it” standard.
Perhaps everyone does not possess the “it” capability in sales and/or service but we all have the ability to exercise “it” in everyday life. We can employ this in how we treat each other and how we interact with all we encounter. I challenge all reading this to do that very thing. Make “it” a great day today, tomorrow and beyond!
Richard Weintraub has been a Palm Desert resident for 32 years, is married to Elyssa for 29 years and has two boys: Eliot, 26, who resides in Seattle and Izak, 23, who lives in San Diego. Email Richard at rweintraub@dc.rr.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Celebrating those who give great customer service in Coachella Valley
