When was the last time you experienced truly exceptional customer service? I’ve been diving into a great book called The Credit Union Way by my friend Lee Silber as part of my prep for an upcoming keynote to a credit union audience. It’s filled with story after story of relationship-driven service—real examples of credit union employees going above and beyond for their members.
But one story in particular stopped me in my tracks.
Picture this: It’s late on a Friday night. A young man rolls into Big O Tires for a much-needed set of tires. When it’s time to pay, his debit card doesn’t work. Panic. Frustration. He calls his credit union just before they close. The employee on the other end checks the account—plenty of funds. So what does he do?
He asks where the member is. Turns out, they’re in the same neighborhood. So this credit union rockstar says, “I’ll be right there.” He leaves the office, shows up at Big O Tires, and pays the bill. Just like that. No policy, no process, no red tape. Just heart. He told the member, “We’ll work out the reimbursement on Monday.”
And the best part? As the member watched him pull in, he turned to the tire guy and said: “My banker’s on the way.” That’s what front-row service looks like. It’s not about being bound by rules. It’s about showing up when someone needs you, no questions asked.
So here’s your Front-Row Friday challenge:
What can you do today to surprise and delight a customer, client, or team member? What if instead of thinking outside the box, you threw the box out the window and asked, “How can I help in this moment?”
If you’ve got a story like this—where someone went above and beyond—I want to hear it. Send it my way so I can share it in a future Front-Row Friday message. Let’s keep showing up.
Let’s keep serving. Let’s keep making people feel like they matter.
See you in the front-row.
Your Head Usher,
Marilyn
