In one episode of The Shades of Entrepreneurship, I had the pleasure of welcoming the owners of my favorite burger joint—BlackSeed Burger Cult. Founded by Mikey Williams and Donovyn Collins, this burger joint was my favorite until the pandemic took it down.
Let me tell you, this place is not just my favorite; it was my all-time favorite. EVER. And that’s saying something.
These two entrepreneurs just celebrated their second year in business, and if my calculations are correct (carry the one… yup), that means they launched just before a global pandemic hit. Talk about a tough start!
But this is more than just a story of a burger joint. It's about how two friends rethought their business strategy to survive a crisis while staying true to their mission: making everyone feel welcomed.
Today, I want to focus on that mission, which ties directly into a crucial topic for any business—customer service.
The Power of Customer Service: Lessons from BlackSeed Burger Cult and Beyond
Why Is Customer Service Important, and Why Should Entrepreneurs Care?
Let’s start with the basics: Why is customer service important?
If you’re wondering why you can’t berate a customer for asking for extra pineapple on their pizza, then this might not be for you. But for the rest of us, customer service is more than just a business formality—it’s essential to building and retaining a loyal customer base.
Here’s why: It costs five times more to attract a new customer than to retain an existing one. Think about that for a second. Good customer service directly impacts your bottom line because it’s much more cost-effective to keep your current customers happy than to constantly chase new ones.
Now imagine you walk into a restaurant and are berated for ordering something unusual. Chances are, you’d walk out and never come back. Worse, you might leave a scathing review online or tell your friends about the bad experience. And in today’s digital age, bad news travels fast.
This is where the power of word-of-mouth comes into play. A positive experience may lead someone to tell one or two people. But a negative experience? That can go viral in seconds.
And here’s the kicker: word-of-mouth advertising is the best kind because, as my dad used to say, “It’s free!”
Beyond "The Customer is Always Right"
We’ve all heard the saying, “The customer is always right.” While that’s a nice sentiment, great customer service goes far beyond blindly catering to every customer whim. It's about genuine human interaction and understanding that customers have different needs, emotions, and backgrounds. It's about making every person feel valued, regardless of what they order or how they act.
But customer service isn’t just the responsibility of the business. Customers themselves play a role in this dynamic. Wait—what? Customers need to be good customers? The short answer is, absolutely.
The Mutual Responsibility of Good Customer Service
The pandemic taught us many lessons, and one of the most important is that everyone—business owners and patrons alike—need to be more empathetic. According to a study by the National Academy of Sciences, 43% of businesses temporarily closed due to COVID-19, and nearly all of these closures were pandemic-related.
As I’ve mentioned before on this podcast, one of my goals is to highlight local business owners and reinvigorate our local economy.
But for businesses to thrive, we as consumers also need to step up. That means being kinder, more patient, and more understanding when interacting with business owners and their staff.
We’ve all seen those viral videos of customers acting out, often referred to as "Karen" moments.
Now, let’s leave individuals named Karen out of this—it’s an unfortunate generalization. But those viral moments remind us of how not to act. We need to be better customers, period.
A Lesson in Empathy from Healthcare
My years in healthcare have taught me invaluable lessons about customer service, which I apply to my entrepreneurial journey. Here’s an example: I once had a guest come up to my desk, clearly upset, tapping their hand to get my attention. At first glance, it seemed rude, but instead of reacting negatively, I simply asked, “How can I help you?”
The guest responded, “I can’t find my car.”
Now, to some, that might seem like an odd or trivial concern, but on a large medical campus, parking is often confusing. I took the time to walk this person to the parking garage, and after a few minutes, the guest began to cry. They had just been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
That moment taught me an important lesson: You never know what someone is going through. Whether it’s a guest in a hospital or a customer at a burger joint, each person has their own story, and often, they’re dealing with far more than we realize. Showing patience and understanding goes a long way.
The Takeaway: Building a Welcoming Environment
For businesses like BlackSeed Burger Cult, making people feel welcome isn't just about serving great food—although their burgers are fantastic—it’s about creating an environment where everyone feels valued. Whether it’s their first time or their 100th, each customer should walk away feeling like they were treated with respect.
As entrepreneurs, we have a responsibility to offer great customer service. But as customers, we also have a responsibility to be kind and understanding. It’s a two-way street, and by improving both sides of this equation, we create a community where businesses can thrive, and people feel good about supporting them.
Let’s All Be Better
So, the next time you find yourself interacting with a local business—whether it’s your favorite burger joint or the corner coffee shop—remember that customer service goes both ways. Be kind, be patient, and remember that we all have bad days. And who knows? The person flipping those burgers could very well be the owner, trying their best to serve you with a smile.
If we all strive to be better customers and better business owners, we’ll create stronger, more vibrant communities where everyone feels welcome.
So go out there, support your local businesses, and remember: good customer service starts with you.
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