Post by jjas on Sept 30, 2021 7:39:21 GMT -5
I read this column and thought others might find it interesting.
FEATURE
Discussing Customers
Throughout my life, I’ve always been taught that customers are why businesses exist.
“The customer’s always right” read the only sign hanging in the back of my grandmother’s country store.
The Ritz Carlton posted “Find a way to say YES” reminders behind check-in desks. Every successful business owner I’ve known has reminded me customers/guests/clients were the most important part of any business.
Without customers, I was repeatedly reminded, there wouldn’t be any business.
But today’s customers aren’t like any we’ve ever seen. Today, many customers/guests/clients have forgotten the transactions are two-way. There are people on both sides.
Today retailers, no matter what they’re selling need to remind customers to behave. I saw another example yesterday at my pharmacy -at the drive-up window, no less. I was greeted by a tearful pharmacist student who began our conversation by sniffling out “I’m sorry.” When I asked her if she needed a minute to compose herself the tears really started to flow.
Seems the “lady” in front of me had just finished berating her because her prescriptions weren’t quite ready for pickup when she arrived.
“She called from the parking lot,” the tearful attendant told me, “then drove right to the window and wanted them.”
This sign says it all. The whole world really IS short-staffed.
When her 10 second commute didn’t produce her pharmaceuticals (lithium carbonate I hope), she exploded. And the pharmacy student was devastated after trying to reason with an irrational customer.
If you own a business, especially a service-oriented one, you know there’s a shortage of people willing to work. It is negatively impacting virtually every business category.
But no one seems to be saying -or doing much -to address the problem of stressed-out customers losing it on the people who are willing to work.
Without realizing it, unreasonable customers are making things tougher for everyone.
Appears it’s time business owners remind some customers it really is a two-way street.
Having stood in the “10 items or less” express line behind people unloading full grocery carts, it seems some people are incapable of taking rules seriously. Either that or they realize no one’s willing to call them out on it.
To me, that creates an opportunity for businesses to score points with their other customers by asking those lesser-considerate ones to follow the rules.
Fully expecting irate notes from managers of chain stores explaining to me they’ve been ordered not to confront customers for anything from obnoxious behavior to shoplifting, I am firm in my opinion.
Ignoring rule-breakers may keep them coming back, but others will stop coming to your store. Even the quiet ones tell their friends when they don’t enjoy going to a place. As they say in restaurant circles, “if they like your food, they might tell someone. If they don’t they’ll tell everyone.”
Doing business is hard on the good days. Business with all the issues we face today is really tough.
But businesses who value their workers will have far more good days than bad.
We’ll keep you posted.
— Jim Shepherd
Thoughts?
FEATURE
Discussing Customers
Throughout my life, I’ve always been taught that customers are why businesses exist.
“The customer’s always right” read the only sign hanging in the back of my grandmother’s country store.
The Ritz Carlton posted “Find a way to say YES” reminders behind check-in desks. Every successful business owner I’ve known has reminded me customers/guests/clients were the most important part of any business.
Without customers, I was repeatedly reminded, there wouldn’t be any business.
But today’s customers aren’t like any we’ve ever seen. Today, many customers/guests/clients have forgotten the transactions are two-way. There are people on both sides.
Today retailers, no matter what they’re selling need to remind customers to behave. I saw another example yesterday at my pharmacy -at the drive-up window, no less. I was greeted by a tearful pharmacist student who began our conversation by sniffling out “I’m sorry.” When I asked her if she needed a minute to compose herself the tears really started to flow.
Seems the “lady” in front of me had just finished berating her because her prescriptions weren’t quite ready for pickup when she arrived.
“She called from the parking lot,” the tearful attendant told me, “then drove right to the window and wanted them.”
This sign says it all. The whole world really IS short-staffed.
When her 10 second commute didn’t produce her pharmaceuticals (lithium carbonate I hope), she exploded. And the pharmacy student was devastated after trying to reason with an irrational customer.
If you own a business, especially a service-oriented one, you know there’s a shortage of people willing to work. It is negatively impacting virtually every business category.
But no one seems to be saying -or doing much -to address the problem of stressed-out customers losing it on the people who are willing to work.
Without realizing it, unreasonable customers are making things tougher for everyone.
Appears it’s time business owners remind some customers it really is a two-way street.
Having stood in the “10 items or less” express line behind people unloading full grocery carts, it seems some people are incapable of taking rules seriously. Either that or they realize no one’s willing to call them out on it.
To me, that creates an opportunity for businesses to score points with their other customers by asking those lesser-considerate ones to follow the rules.
Fully expecting irate notes from managers of chain stores explaining to me they’ve been ordered not to confront customers for anything from obnoxious behavior to shoplifting, I am firm in my opinion.
Ignoring rule-breakers may keep them coming back, but others will stop coming to your store. Even the quiet ones tell their friends when they don’t enjoy going to a place. As they say in restaurant circles, “if they like your food, they might tell someone. If they don’t they’ll tell everyone.”
Doing business is hard on the good days. Business with all the issues we face today is really tough.
But businesses who value their workers will have far more good days than bad.
We’ll keep you posted.
— Jim Shepherd
Thoughts?
