Several years ago, I read an interesting story regarding the human condition, and how our minds work. It involves a food vendor, who charged more than competitors for french fries. Despite the price difference, and the perceptively comparable product, this vendor found great popularity. The fries were served in a container, just as at other stores.
However, this vendor placed the container inside a bag, and thereby what might be called "extra” fries fell around the container into the bag rather than back into the heating tray. The perception of the consumer purportedly receiving something extra was seen by that author as driving brand loyalty. The author contends that those "extra" are "just an illusion." Tell that to my waistband.
I am somewhat enamored with a particular vendor as regards my daily soda. I consume too much, too often, and too readily. They had me at "diet," as fallacious as that is. I have striven over time to forgo soda. However, I find it extremely difficult.
I am drawn to this vendor by the somewhat ridiculously low price. I am certain, despite this, that the business makes substantial profit from the sale of soft drinks. See Can I Get a Team Gulp (July 2014). As a result of my soda, loyalty, that outlet tends to dispense all of the gasoline I purchase. My feelings (or addiction) are sufficiently pervasive to motivate a working knowledge of where their outlets are around the state, and periodically a map search for a location. It is likely beneficial to their bottom line that I perceive value in their soda fountain.
My perceptions of their business benefit are also enhanced otherwise. They deliver a periodic “you’re good.“ If you haven’t experienced this, maybe you’re shopping in the wrong places. Repeatedly, I will visit this merchant around the state, fill my fountain drink and proceed to the register only to face the cheerful question. “is that all today.“ When I respond “yes,“ I receive a cheerful “you're good.“ I often protest as I harbor some guilt at their beneficence. However, they are invariably insistent, persistent, cheerful, and utterly gracious. That alone is important.
Having made no other purchase, conveyed them no benefit, they simply convey this gesture. They do it with a smile and spontaneity. It is, in a world of increasingly disgruntled, disassociated, and frankly rude retail interactions, a huge charm.
Their attitude, courtesy, and the free drink are a significant draw. As I traverse various highways, it is not uncommon for me to venture out of my way to patronize their store. I have often driven past many of their competitors to fill up and grab a soda. I am obviously pleased by the service and the courtesy even when there is no free soda, but let's be honest, it helps.
Obviously, I am in no way, endorsing or advocating for this unnamed business. The point of this blog is to illuminate the value of the lagniappe. For the uninitiated, this French word came to the popular vernacular through exposure to the Big Easy. Obviously, that metropolis did not make this word, but it made it real, at least for me. Lagniappe means:
"a small gift given to a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase; broadly : something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure"
In the days when the Big Easy was the land of milk and honey, one was frequently treated to a little something extra. Your meal might be delivered with a little bowl of jambalaya, red beans, or Etoufee. Any mention of not having ordered this was met with “that’s all right,“ or "I know.“ Most times there would be some accompanying familiarity "honey," "sugar," and similar were common. A smile was invariable. The South is indeed a wonderfully gracious place.
The lagniappe is a gesture. It’s a courtesy. It’s a pleasant surprise and compliment. It’s an attitude that signals gratefulness and appreciation that you came in. It, undoubtedly builds loyalty, encourages rapport, and encourages repeat business.
I hear about lagniappe in the world of Worker’s Compensation from a variety of professionals. Lagniape comes in the form of trinkets, personal attention, and other values. Each year at the various conferences, I see people with buckets of trinkets they are lugging home. I have never been one to collect such.
But I am particularly enamored with the personal attention aspect, that is so often lacking in our modern society. In fact, I might drive out of my way to make purchases even if there was never a free soda. It is quite possible the cheerful and utterly gracious alone would be sufficient lagniappe.
A smile (no offense) might just be enough. Workers' Compensation is a service industry (community), so it might be good for us to remind ourselves and each other of that periodically. You never know what someone is going through. The smile can be in person, or someone can simply hear it over the phone. Harder to convey it in an email, but personal attention is easy even there.
Is it so hard to inquire about someone's day ("How are you") and literally listen to what they reply? Is it so hard to remember a little something about them (as if you value them intrinsically - "how is your son's little league going?"). It will not move the world, but it might just be the little something extra that allows someone to feel valued and appreciated. The little Lagniappe might go a long way to make someone's day.
Find a way to make the gesture (Sorry, no, you can't buy me a soda).
