Yesterday I went to AMSCOT for the first time. Their business model is cash advances on checks. Basically they create a mini loan for people who need money right away and don't know much about interest rates (or just have no other option). Like a pawn shop just with different collateral.I recieved a speeding ticket a few months back and decided to damn the man and fight it. I won but I had to pay court costs and the like. AMSCOT setup a deal with Orange County where you are able to pay any fees at any of their locations (which happen to be in as many places as starbucks all of the sudden).
What stood out to me from the experience was a small customer service thing they do that I had never seen before.
You walk in and there are 15 windows but only 5 employees. They tell you to walk up to one of the open windows even if no one is behind it. You walk up and the person asks why you are there and then slides you a small tootsie roll.
umm...ok.
So he finishes up with another customer and comes back to me and asks for my ticket information. He said to hang on one second and hes going to enter it into the computer. Slides about 3 or 4 tootsie rolls over.
this guy is strange...he just hands out candy randomly?
He came back and it turns out they only take cash. I went to the ATM and came back and got another lady. Walked up she asked what I was there for and passes me a tootsie roll.
At this point I eat it and notice in the trash can next to each window is just full of wrappers. Also everyone else in there is chewing on tootsie rolls.
Anytime there is a delay where they are helping someone else or doing something for you they give you tootsie rolls. By the time you take it, unwrap it and chew it they are typically back. At first it was the strangest thing I have ever seen but sure enough when they were helping other people or working on something I had a task that kept me busy and I didn't even care they were working three windows at one time.
Although I'm sure it doesn't help America's obesity problem it is still a interesting way to handle a waiting customer.
1. Oct 4th 2007, 2:11PM Mike
Just bizarre. But it reminds me of something totally unrelated.
Hershey Park (PA) 'Chocolate World' tour where they take you through a not-very-simulated chocolate factory (It's for the kids), you get three Hershey's kisses at the end of the ride/tour/thingy. Near that point, there's a trash can. You throw the wrapper away. When you get to the second kiss, there's a trash can for its wrapper.
When you open the third kiss, guess what? trash can. So you open the third.
When you find yourself finished with the final kiss, your chocolate is gone. And you've magically reached the gift shop, filled with chocolate. Amazing what well-spaced wastebaskets will do.
2. Oct 4th 2007, 3:50PM Alex Rudloff
They didn't make you get into any unmarked vans, did they?
3. Oct 4th 2007, 6:53PM Bill
Customer service involves waiting. You got a problem, you'll wait to tell someone, then you'll wait for them to fix your problem...or for them to make you more frustrated.
The freakin tootsie roll is the perfect time killer. It takes time to eat and has the added bonus of giving you small doses of sugar. It's so simple and brilliant at the same time.
Go easy on the speeding tickets Gavin. We don't want to see a correlation between Amscot and Dentist visits. ;)
4. Oct 4th 2007, 7:16PM Randall Bennett
that's pretty awesome. Not sure who thought of it, but kudos.
Also, G, i thought the helicopter would be arriving from Dulles any day now, especially now that AOL is relocating to NYC.
5. Oct 4th 2007, 7:36PM dawn
I love it!
6. Dec 10th 2007, 9:04PM Integrity
They train the employees to give each customer a tootsie roll FIRST and encourage giving more as needed, wanted or just to hide the fact that they are taking time away from your life. They call everyone up to the windows so you are never actually waiting in a line (per se) and the District Manager or quality control people looking thru the many cameras set up don't see any lines as well. They open a new branch EVERY 15-30 days, I wonder where all that money comes from? Thats right America ... YOU! Just because we can't or won't use a mainstream banking facility, we are charged out the wazoo for simply funneling OUR checks through their bank for us. Simple, but, profitable