Picture this: There’s a 16 year old, rocking a visor and smelling like fryer oil, holding down the grill station at McDonald’s. Management had been hyping them up for weeks – “You’re the best we’ve got,” they’d say. “But wait until you meet him.”

Him being another teenage cook on the opposite shift. Word on the greasy street was that he was a legend on the line. Naturally, the hatred brewed. Not personally, of course – but out of pure, misguided competitive spirit. The managers had unknowingly built a rivalry without either of them ever meeting.

Then one day * cue dramatic music * an overlapping shift was scheduled. Tensions were high. Grease was hotter than usual. And just as one was ready to puff up their chest and go toe-to-toe, the other made a joke about this cartoon they both watched. Suddenly, it wasn’t war – it was, “Wait, you love that show too?”

In ten minutes, each were quoting characters. By the end of the shift, laughing like old friends. Fast forward to now? They’re still best friends. From teen burger flippers to lifelong confidantes – all because of one unexpected connection.

This is the true story of a speaker I heard by The Moth (a pretty wicked storyteller if you haven’t checked him out before).

But truthfully, this story isn’t too far fetched from much of what we experience through our lives. Maybe they don’t all become our besties, but there’s definitely a lot of instances through our days where a stranger becomes something special, or connects us to something we would have never known before. 

Moral of the Story? It’s All About the Small Stuff.

We love to talk big strategies and grand gestures in business, but often, it’s the tiny sparks that ignite the best relationships. A shared love for a cartoon. A comment about someone’s cool nail color. Remembering their dog’s name.

Why does this matter for customer service?

Because you never, ever know what someone is going through. Whether it’s your client, your customer, or your co-worker – they could be showing up on their worst day, just needing one moment of connection to turn it around. And you might be the one who delivers it.

So How Do We Apply This for our clients at Charlotte Potter?

Glad you asked:

• Seek out the connection. Don’t just smile – actually look for those small sparks. A shared interest, a laugh, a “Hey, your voice sounds like my sister’s.” Boom. Instant warmth.
  
• Find the common ground. It’s one of the strongest foundations for trust and loyalty. You don’t have to be BFFs with every customer – but being real with them goes a long way.
  
• Make notes. Literally. Pull out that Notes app. Write down the name of their cat, that trip they’re taking, the product they love. Or if you’re a wizard with memory, file it away in your mind palace. Whatever works.
  
• Train the memory muscle. The more you look for ways to connect, the more naturally it comes. It becomes less of a “task” and more of a reflex.
  

Real customer service isn’t just about resolving issues – it’s about building relationships. And guess what? Some of those relationships might last longer than you think. I mean, imagine going in for a burger shift and walking out with a best friend?

Just imagine what you could walk out with when you lead with connection next.