Earlier this year, I wrote a Forbes article celebrating the 50th anniversary of what might be the most famous customer service story of all time. You’ve probably heard it: a man wanted to return a set of used tires to Nordstrom, even though Nordstrom never sold tires and likely never will. But that didn’t stop the employee from giving the customer a refund.
Right or wrong, that story is still being told 50 years later. Think about that for a moment – half a century has passed, and we’re still talking about this single interaction between a customer and an employee. That’s the power of a legendary customer service story.
What’s particularly interesting is that Nordstrom had been in business for 75 years before this legendary story emerged and spread. The company had already established itself as a successful retailer, but this one story helped define their customer service philosophy for generations to come.
Finding Your Company’s Defining Story
Every organization has the potential to create its own legendary customer service story. These narratives aren’t just nice anecdotes – they become the foundation of your service culture. They communicate your values more effectively than any mission statement ever could.
If your company doesn’t yet have its defining customer service story, start actively looking for those moments. They’re happening every day, but you need to recognize them and bring them to light. Here’s how to identify potential legendary stories:
- Look for instances where employees went far beyond expectations
- Pay attention to unusual customer requests that were somehow fulfilled
- Notice when employees solve problems in creative, unexpected ways
- Collect stories where your team turned a negative situation into a positive one
The best stories often involve an employee who broke from standard procedure to help a customer. While we can’t always encourage rule-breaking, we can celebrate the spirit behind these actions – the genuine desire to help someone in need.
Turning Stories into Culture
Once you’ve identified your potential legendary stories, don’t let them fade away. Stories that aren’t shared don’t shape culture. Instead, use these narratives strategically:
- Share them during employee training to illustrate your service values
- Highlight them in team meetings to recognize excellent service
- Include them in internal communications to reinforce your standards
- Tell them to new hires to show what makes your company special
When you consistently share these stories, something magical happens. They become more than just examples – they transform into the DNA of your customer service culture. New employees learn what’s truly valued, not just what’s written in the handbook.
I’ve seen this happen with countless companies I’ve worked with. One organization I advised had a story about an employee who drove 200 miles to deliver a forgotten item to a customer before an important event. Years later, that story still guides their approach to solving customer problems.
Over time, these stories will become the DNA of your customer service culture.
Creating a Legacy That Lasts
The most powerful aspect of legendary customer service stories is their longevity. The Nordstrom tire story has outlived the original customer, the employee who handled the return, and likely many of the managers who were working that day.
When you create and share your own legendary stories, you’re not just influencing today’s customer experience – you’re shaping how your company will serve customers for decades to come. Who knows? Fifty years from now, someone might still be telling your story as an example of exceptional service.
That’s why I encourage every organization to actively seek out, celebrate, and share these moments. They’re not just nice stories – they’re the building blocks of a customer service legacy that can define your brand for generations.
Start looking for your legendary customer service story today. It might already exist, waiting to be discovered and shared. And if it doesn’t, create the kind of service culture where such stories can naturally emerge. Your future legacy depends on it.
