A few weeks ago, after walking in the park with a friend, we went to Starbucks. I kind of love Starbucks. I love the aroma of fresh roasted coffee. I admire the artistry of the baristas as they make cappuccinos, espressos and specialty drinks. I like how it is spotlessly clean. I like how the iced tea I get looks and tastes exactly the same, no matter which Starbucks I visit.
The only thing I don’t like is the price. $5 plus tip for an iced tea is outrageous. I can make 12 pitchers of iced tea at home for that amount. So, unless I’m meeting someone or traveling, I rarely go there.
But what I don’t get at home are the people.
The girl behind the counter who took my order wore a huge grin and targeted her attention right at me the moment I walked in the door. She greeted me and for a few minutes made me feel like I was the “Most Important Person In the World”.
She took our order, all the while exuding energy, enthusiasm and joy. It was palpable.
I couldn’t help but smile myself and feel a little lift just from being there with her for a moment.
After sitting outside for an hour chatting, I went back inside to throw out our cups and was hit by her megawatt smile and offer to get me a refill. She was as cheery as before, even though she was the sole employee in the shop preparing to shut down for the night.
There’s no way she was putting on an act to comply with some StarBucks company standard. Like the girl at REI, she’s got to be a natural.
I wonder what it feels like to be wired that way.