Our world is built around speed, and because of this, any amount of waiting seems like a complete waste of time and an enormous frustration. We have drive-thru opportunities everywhere- banks, coffee shops, cleaners, and even restaurants will run your take out food to your car. With a quick search on google, just about any question has an instant answer. The responsibility and understanding this brings to all customer service providers is that asking customers to needlessly wait may be the difference between a positive or negative experience.

Quick reactions and timely responses should be a part of every company's core standards because these two actions help support a positive customer experience. We can all recall a service experience when the time you had to wait for service or food delivery exceeded your "wait time" expectation. This pivotal moment for the service industry has two possible outcomes- win a customer or lose them forever. Care, concern, and quick responses are what can turn this situation into a positive experience.

Being customer-focused is where we want to live in the service industry, however; fast service, depending on how it's delivered, is not the simple answer. We can all identify with a service experience where the provider was "fast," but lacked efficiency. This can be as disappointing as waiting. So "reacting quickly" will only have a successful impact when you take the time to understand and connect with your customer's needs.

As the graphic shows above, in order to deliver positive and memorable customer experiences, all employees, at all levels, need to anticipate the needs of their customer. And, then respond to that need in a timely manner. One of the biggest services "wows" is to deliver service that the customer didn't expect. These unexpected service delights get talked about over and over. Your customer can be one of your greatest marketing tools. It all starts with a wonderful service exchange.