My driver's ed instructor once told me that kindness is contagious. If you let someone in on the road or in a parking lot, frequently you'll see them return that favor down the road. Recently, my parents were telling me about an encounter they had that reinforced the power of words of appreciation and kindness.

A few weeks ago, my parents were at one of their favorite eateries, where they have been visiting for many years. Hold up; before I tell you what happened, I should tell you that for years, my mother has been printing out little business cards with a fun little saying about how she appreciated the service she and my Dad had received. These cards have a nice picture that she has taken, and a saying such as "Once in a Blue Moon, I receive great service and want you to know how much it is appreciated." This is printed over a photo of a moon over the lake she lives on, which helps to punctuate the message. She has many versions of these, including rainbows, sunsets and even a vista from the Southwest.

With that in mind, here my parents sat on a random day a few weeks ago enjoying their breakfast. As they went on with their meal, Mom commented on how good their service was and that she remembered this waitress from prior visits and that she is always so pleasant. Once the bill came, Mom slipped one of her appreciation cards in with her payment, and usual generous tip, and continued to finish her coffee.

A moment later, the waitress came back and thanked mom for the little card she had left. She went on to tell my parents that she had worked at that restaurant for the past 14 years, and that particular day was her last before retiring and they were her final customers. Then she pulled out her waitress order folder and proceeded to show my mom a worn, ripped, re-taped old business card that she had received not long after starting her job 14 years ago. It was one of Mom's appreciation cards! She was so touched by the kindness of my mom all those years earlier, she had saved that card as a daily reminder to continue her great customer service.

That is one heck of a coincidence...and a great story! It also reinforces how important it is to let co-workers, or people who provide you with a great customer experience, how much it means to you. It not only makes them feel good, but will, often times, affect the customers being served after them. Kind comments never hurt a situation and often times have a ripple effect.

Take a moment to recognize somebody today, and every day, and maybe one day it will come back and prove that people really do care. If we all did this, much more would be right with our world.

Have you experienced great customer service? If so, let that person know...and nominate them for our Customers First service honor. The nomination form can be found here: www.macc.org/customersfirst