This isn't a secret to anyone; the economy is in turmoil right now. What may seem to be a secret is that there are still millions of
people who are working, millions of people who have money to spend, and millions of people who are looking for services and products to spend that money on.
The real issue these days is that people are being way more discriminating in how they spend their money than even a year ago. It's not
just the middle class either; we're hearing of more and more celebrities and famously rich people who are cutting back on their expenses
so that they can spend their money in other ways. Many are selling off high priced luxuries like private airplanes and yachts and going
back to commercial ways of traveling, even if they're still paying for first class; I don't begrudge anyone that if they can pay for it,
and I'm shooting for the day when I'll only have to fly first class myself.
When people are being discriminating, they start looking at things that impress them enough to not only let go of their money, but
to keep them coming back for more. Even having an exclusive product or service isn't a guarantee that customers will buy from you.
The internet has created so many more options for buyers to get whatever they want, and they're willing to wait longer to get it, if
treated properly.
Of course I'm going into speaking about offering even better customer service options than you may be offering now. Courtesy used to be good
enough, although, based on personal history, there's still many businesses that still haven't learned even that small lesson. In today's
world, companies need to figure out how to offer better customer service options, and sometimes, all it takes is going back to previous
standards that people liked.
For instance, Walmart has decided to bring back layaway, which was once a staple of its business. Many Kmart's are bringing back
the blue light special, which all but disappeared as they'd had fewer customers, but are now seeing more people coming back in looking for
bargains on what was always quality products, but didn't have as flashy a name as many specialty stores. And, for some truly out of the box
thinking, Hyundai has created a program where, if you lose your job, they will give you three months to find another one, and if you can't find
a new job then you can return the vehicle to them without any penalties.
One of my favorite customer service stores, which is local yet honored with national awards, is
Wegmans, the supermarket chain that's prominent here in the northeast.
It's not prices that bring people in the door, because sometimes their prices are higher than some other stores. What Wegmans does
is brings customer service to the forefront of everything they do. If you can't find something not only does every person who works
in the store know where that item is, or at least items of that type, but they'll walk you there instead of just pointing. Wegmans
has a "no questions asked" return policy; they recognize that, overall, the cost of debating a customer who has an issue with a
product is higher than the cost of either exchanging the item or giving the customer back their money.
But Wegmans biggest customer service program is how they treat their own employees. Wegmans will go out of its way to allow
employees to decide their own hours, as long as there is proper coverage at peak times throughout the day. That's important to
them, because they want their employees to want to be there, not have to always follow a strict schedule that interferes with other
things they may have to do. Whereas you might see high turnover at some stores, Wegmans has people who have been with the
organization for twenty years or more. They offer scholarship programs, bonuses, and are always courteous with each other. Managers
are on a first name basis with their employees, all the way up to the top. There's an organization that many other businesses need to
study.
You'll notice that I mentioned prices. Lower prices aren't always what people want when they're looking to purchase items. A
couple of years ago, I actually bought a pair of shoes that cost three times what I'd usually purchase shoes for, not only for
the comfort, but because of how the gentleman in the store treated me. How many shoe stores do we walk into that actually
measure our feet first anymore? This man measured my feet, brought out 5 different sizes and styles of the same shoe, had me test
each one, gave me and my wife a history of shoes and how sizes of today aren't like sizes of the past, and when all was said and
done I not only had a very nice looking and comfortable pair of shoes, but I bought my wife a pair of shoes also. And, if you know
me, you know I'm not usually a $250 pair of shoes kind of guy.
With so many choices in today's world, how we interact with others who seek us for services, products, and even employment, is
going to determine how far we go in our professional lives, and how we'll interact with others in our personal lives. As it
pertains to business, it's up to managers to set the tone for their employees, no matter what the company policy might be. No
company wants to be seen on the outside as not wanting to provide good customer service, but it starts from within, with how
everyone works with everyone else, then spreads out to everyone else. If employees aren't happy, then customers won't be happy.
If employees aren't motivated, then they won't care how they talk to your "former" customers. Too many former customers and your
business is over. And, I hate to say, you probably won't qualify for a government bailout either.
Take some time to think about two things. One, if the need is there, how can you change the mood of your office or business
so that your employees will be motivated to put on the best face possible for your customers? Two, what kind of customer service
initiative can you employ, either an old standard or something that's out of the box, that will show others, both inside and outside,
that you really care about them and want to do business with them?
Answer those two questions and you and your business will be a winner in today's economy.