The Background

Anyone that has spent time hanging out with me has quickly learned that I can be a bit goofy.    This is especially true when interacting with people while they are working.

Hang out at the check-out register of any store for more then 5 minutes, or listen to the conversations around you at a restaurant.  It won’t be long before you realize that those working these professions get a constant stream of complaints.    The friendly “How are you today?” is commonly responded to with gripes and frustrations.      People pile their problems and issues onto clerks, waitresses and customer service reps as if those workers directly and personally wronged them.

I may say something stupid or embarrassing, be a little over the top, but it is almost always met with a smile.  I like to think that maybe the minute long interaction, where I acted a little foolish, was a nice break from the more frustrating parts of their days.

Recently I was reminded that companies can have fun and be a bit goofy as well.     A company can just as easily take a break from the norm and step out of character to put a smile on the customer’s face.

I recently purchased a Casper bed.    For those not familiar, there is a new wave of mattress companies popping up that no longer sell their mattresses via showrooms.   These companies make one mattress only and sell them direct to consumers on the internet.    The beds are usually made of foam and  are put in a large bag and vacuum sealed, rolled up and mailed to you directly.

We had to change some shipping details so in a ticket with Casper’s customer service, in my normal goofy way, I added the following:

I really appreciate you guys working with me on this.   Really looking forward to ripping the bag open and getting the “THWOOP”* effect.

*Though this is my first Casper my in-laws have one and I opened it and I definitely felt that if you cut open the bag quickly there was a “THWOOP” effect.   I am pretty sure that if you cut a very small hole it may be more of a “phummmphttttt” type of effect, but I can’t see how that is more exciting then the “THWOOP” of a fast bag opening, so that is my plan….I am all about the “THWOOP”.

I didn’t receive any response other then a quick reply that they hoped I enjoyed the new bed.

The Surprise

A week later, my wife checked the mail and told me that I had received some weird pillow case.   She handed me the pillowcase and this time I was distracted from the normalness of the day, and the unexpected grin was on my face.

I have no idea whom at Casper decided to do this.  It was extremely appreciated and it was nice for a company to provide me with that bright spot in the day.

It is always my goal, in my personal life, to try to make people smile but it was great to be reminded that in business we have that same ability.   It’s perfectly okay to break out of the norm and to interact with your customers in a non traditional manner, you might just make their day.