Late last year ex-boss Ro returned to London from a trip to the US and couldn't stop talking about his experience at Bank of America. Apparently the teller had such a bright smile and sunny disposition that he didn't know how to respond when she asked what she could do for him. It made him feel as though he'd been gone from the US for too long.
On my recent trip to stateside I went through the same experience. Every shop, restaurant, bank, etc. I walked into was full of employees waiting to service my every need. This even occurred at shops I went into directly after getting off my 10+ hour flight unshowered, scruffy, and half asleep with morning breath. It was so disturbing it made me wonder if customer service in the US had always been this friendly or if this was just a result of trying to boost revenue due to the credit crunch. At one restaurant my friends had to restrain me from pulling the waitress' nose to see if she was a real girl.
In contrast my return to London brought me back to reality. I went to my favorite coffee shop to refill on beans for the week and get a shot of caffeine. Two people queueing behind me were served first and this would have continued if I hadn't asserted my presence (how unlike me, I know). If only they didn't have the best coffee...
