This is a story about a simple cab ride. A ride that thousands of of take daily. This particular ride happened to be from the airport to my hotel in Waikiki on the island of Ouahu in Hawai’i. This is a pretty straight shot, down Nimitz to Waikiki. Usually takes 20 minutes tops and, frankly, is one of the easiest trips you can take to the airport. It’s also a trip I’ve taken at least 50 times in the last 10 years.
Of those 50 trips, it’s also the only one I can remember. When we arrived at the cab stand, the driver, Ken, jumped out of the car and immediately started to load our luggage into the trunk. He took out a mover’s blanket and wrapped our luggage to protect it from any damage. It didn’t cost him anything, but it demonstrated to me, his customer, that he cared about me as an individual, not just a fare.
When we got into the cab, he immediately offered us a few pieces of hard candy. Again, nothing special, but a nice treat. Throughout the departure from the airport, he was chatting about how much he appreciated us coming to Honolulu. He pointed out various sites along the way. At every stop light, there was another treat, more candy, cookies, water, post cards. When we arrived at the Moana Surfrider, he was greeted enthusiastically by the bell staff like an old friend. As he opened the door for my wife, I overheard him tell the bell staff that we should be treated well, as we were one of his best customers! (The Moana Surfrider is the oldest hotel on Waikiki Beach, and is world renown for their impeccable service)
What’s even more amazing, is that I believed it! The Hawai’ian word for family is ohana, and I really felt like ohana with Ken! In the short span of 20 minutes, this stranger had not only done the job he was paid to do, he made a mundane experience an exceptional one. He made me feel better than when I got into his cab.
Let’s see how he profited from taking a little extra time and effort:
Cost of candy : 25¢
Postcard: 14¢
Bottled Water:$1.00
INVESTMENT: $1.39
Cab fare: $35
Tip: $20
Addl Trips: $125
Addl Tips: $ 40
So, at the very least, his $1.39 investment paid off in $60 in profit and $125 in gross revenue. What kind of return could you get if you invested a little more to make each customer feel special?
The next time you take a cab in Honolulu, I hope you’re lucky enough to meet Ken!
