Extreme service…with a stuffed giraffe

by. Anthony Demangone

Recently, NAFCU held a strategic planning session with our management team.  We threw around the idea of “extreme member service.”  But then someone raised a good point…

Just what does that term mean? 

A huge hat tip to our facilitator, Mollie Bell of Filene. She told us the story of Joshie, the stuffed Giraffe.

In short, a family visited a Ritz-Carlton.  After the trip, disaster strikes.  A child learns that he left his beloved stuffed animal, Joshie the Giraffe, at the hotel.  The father quickly makes up a story…Joshie decided to stay at the Ritz for an extended vacation. 

The father quickly calls the hotel, begging them to look for Joshie.  Well, they did.  The story is perhaps the greatest example of extreme service I’ve ever seen.  You must read about it if you haven’t done so before. (HuffingtonPost.com)

continue reading »