Our daughter was enjoying Danny Trejo’s cookbook this afternoon and shared with us some of the anecdotes peppered throughout the pages. This inspired us to make a quick trip to get a few afternoon treats from Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts. It’s a 45-min drive away, but being British and partial to a mid-afternoon cup of tea and a treat, what else could we do?
We placed our order online, for some vegan donuts. To our disappointment, the order was immediately cancelled, so we called the store to find out why. Yep, vegan donuts were all sold out… Made a quick note to self, and the disappointed family – make vegan donut orders in the morning!
But our story doesn’t end there.
Two minutes later, they called us back. They could make up an order from a few vegan items not on the online menu. Fantastic - so we ordered, added an order for some friends, and made the drive into Los Angeles.
How great was that service? I’ve never had a company call back like that. Ever. Hat’s off to the employee that decided to place that call. Hat’s off the leadership that created that culture.
This is what generates loyalty. This is how you create an emotional connection with a brand. No expensive programs, no complex apps, no points, no tiers, no discounts, just good old-fashioned caring about the customer, and the empathy to make a difference.
We should have asked the guy his name. Whoever you are, you are our Sunday Afternoon Hero.
And the donuts? Amazing. We’ll be back for sure.
