Now here’s a story about a quarter and his quarter friends.
A local art museum requires you to put your jacket and bags in a locker before you can begin browsing the gallery. You need a quarter to use the locker. (You put the quarter into a slot in the locker and then you’re able to turn and take the key. When you return the key and close the locker, you get the quarter back.) Fortunately the guards at the front desk have a lot of spare quarters for people to use and return before they leave.
This is fascinating to me for a few reasons.
1. It’s a reminder of how important everyone is – even museum guards. The interaction with the guards (the simple transaction of “you need to do ‘this’,” “here’s a quarter to do it,” and “just be sure to return it when you’re done.”) is paramount to the gallery viewers experience. There’s very little human to human interaction at an art museum, so any interaction that does occur will influence the experience of the gallery viewer.
2. If you’re going to promote safety, you might as well do it through human interaction. Signs telling customers what to do work, but they don’t add anything to the customers experience.
Lastly, the experience reminded me that “extra steps” are opportunities, not meant to be a hassle for customers, rather a chance to turn customers into friends.
Stay Positive & Quarter For Your Thoughts
Garth E. Beyer
