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.
