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Manny Knew How to Take Care of Us
Whenever I have to take my Hyundai in to replace a flat tire, Manny seems to appear on the scene, and he makes the whole ordeal so much easier. (I’ve had two flats in the past year.) My husband had removed the tire and put on the spare, and we drove the car to the dealership, since we didn’t know if we could patch the tire or if we’d need to replace it. But we knew we could trust Manny to do the right thing.
Manny is kind of a quirky guy. Originally from Brooklyn with an accent you could cut with a knife, he goes out of his way to give us the star service. He’s a slight, trim man, with every hair in place, glasses with plain black frames, a nice polo shirt, and pressed khaki pants. But what impressed me the most was the gold cross he wore both times I’ve worked with him. It was clear to me that it wasn’t just a piece of jewelry, but it spoke volumes about his values and his care for his customers.
Just like when he asked us if we had a warranty on our tires. Although we were almost certain that we didn’t, he insisted on calling the warranty service—just to make sure. I could tell that he’d made the call many times for other customers, because he could respond to the recorded prompts at the moment they started to cue in. Sure enough, he discovered that we didn’t have a warranty, and we almost felt apologetic for his making the effort to call, but it was clear that he felt it was his duty—just to make sure.
Then he explained that the new tire would have to be ordered and wouldn’t be in until the next afternoon. (He already explained why the hole couldn’t be patched.) That meant we’d have another 45-minute drive each way, but it couldn’t be helped. When we mentioned the length of the drive, he asked us to just hold on a minute. He left his desk and went out to the service area, and when he returned, he said he was sure that the tire would be in the next day (today) after 3:30. And it was.
When we returned today, he was attentive, remembered our names, and went to check on the tire. The reason I was so impressed with him was that I felt like he believed he had a personal responsibility to check on things himself. (I’m sure he could have called back on the status of the tire, but he probably not only checked on the tire’s arrival but wanted to know how long it would take to mount it.) He seemed to think that it was important to do this job as thoroughly as possible. It was his duty.
What I couldn’t figure out was his shyness. in spite of his taking care of customers directly. He rarely made eye contact, but when he did, he looked straight at you. There was a kind of humility in his manner, and I was really moved by it. When we went to leave, I extended my hand to shake his and thank him, and received a warm, strong grasp in return, I knew I was dealing with a gentleman.
I think his attitude had something to do with that gold cross around his neck.
[There are places closer to our home who could have served us, but they don’t provide the kind of service that we so appreciate.]
Published in Culture
Manny, thank you for taking care of our friend!
Just so there’s no confusion, “our Manny” from Ricochet is still in New York!
It’s nice to work with people who take their job seriously. It certainly makes you want to go back to that business.
It is so rare. It’s not unusual to overhear staff at various businesses complaining about one thing or another–in front of customers.
If anyone would like to share experiences of good customer service, I’d love to hear them!
To state what may be obvious, email either or both the general manager of the dealership and the manager of the service department, pointing out that you that Manny’s approach enticed you to go out of your way to patronize the dealership. Help them see direct evidence that good customer service is good for business. Plus it will probably get Manny some recognition at the dealership, and if yours isn’t the only report, maybe some bonus money.
Some of us regular customers at my favorite diner have made sure the owner knows that the cheerful, mutually helpful customer facing staff is the primary reason we keep coming there.
I’m on it!
Manny must be a good name. I have known maybe about half a dozen men named Manny in my life and all have been solid. If you are going to call your son “Emmanuel” you are setting a high bar for them.
Haha, I was confused for a minute. At first I thought I was leading another life unbeknownst to my memory…lol. Thanks for clearing that up. By the way, I did grow up in Brooklyn, was once thin, and have always worn glasses.
Actually my full first name is not Emmanuel. It’s Manfredi, which is the Italian version of the English and German Manfred.
Good to know. So, I guess that takes you off the hook 😄.
I wonder if the management at this dealership has any idea how valuable Manny is to their business….or do they think he’s just another guy?
I’ve sent my praises. If they don’t respond, I’ll call.