Customer Centered: Market Square garage attendant

14May2008 Filed under: Customer Centered Author: CP

Yesterday evening I left Tomato Head destined for my comfy couch at home. To my surprise, exiting the Market Square parking garage after 7:00PM would cost me $1.00.

Attention potential thieves: I don’t carry cash.

I politely told the garage attendant that I did not have $1.00 to which she replied, “we accept cash and check only.”

I desperately unfolded my wallet to reveal that I was indeed broke.

With a faint voice she said, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it” and opened the gate for me to exit.

Good customer service is hard to find but somehow, it found me. Thank you Ms. Market Square Garage Attendant.

Photography by pattie74 99

Customer Centered is a new series of posts that showcase Knoxville businesses that actually care about their customers. If you have a story to share send it our way.

Tags: Customer Service, Market Square

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8 Responses to “Customer Centered: Market Square garage attendant”

BCKnoxify
May 14th, 2008 at 10:37 am

Starbucks, last week. I was blessed to receive an “On the house” venti, vanilla, non-fat latte’. Why, I don’t know, but the heavens opened and light shined on me. Seriously, Starbucks never gives its consumers anything but an expensive experience and internet, which I could steal from the parking lot.
Jason Rakowski
May 14th, 2008 at 11:03 am

Good Layout and design. I like your blog. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. .

Jason Rakowski
CP
May 14th, 2008 at 7:59 pm

Thanks Jason.
KenB
May 15th, 2008 at 6:24 pm

I agree that good customer service is hard to find. Glad to hear that you experienced some. My own at http://tinyurl.com/6pf34r.
CK
May 19th, 2008 at 2:54 pm

that’s cool that she was nice enough to let you out. that being said, she shouldn’t have been there at 7:00! I remember when the city first opened the garage, they put up banners that said “free parking after 6pm.” now they keep sneaking the time later and later, trying to get more peoples’ money. the other week the gate was down at 8:00! stick to the advertised hours, knoxville.
CP
May 19th, 2008 at 5:02 pm

@CK, I agree. Staying later just to fetch a few dollars from unknowing Knoxvillians is cheap.
Tragicallyhip
May 21st, 2008 at 1:10 pm

Parking is still supposed to be free after 6, but only for those that arrive after 6. They ran into a problem with people parking all day and waiting until after 6 to leave. So the solution was to keep ticket spitters and gates operating much later. If you come in after 6 you should still be able to park free. Arrive before 6, you’ll have to pay $1 flat rate for up to 2 hours.

The Hilton Starbucks has surprised me with a free drink every once and a while too. But I go there far too often for my own good. An office mate asked just yesterday if I owned stock. Now if that location would just start serving Pike Place roast, all would be good; its much better than their house blend.
CP
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:14 am

Just when I thought the city was making an effort to ease getting into Downtown. Blah.