I will admit, dear reader, that on some occasions I have way too many ideas running through my head. Therefore, this post has two titles and subjects that will (hopefully) come together to make a single, logical (keyword) opinion. Let's start with The Value of Quality Customer Service.
I don't think that I am alone in having the opinion that quality customer service is a huge advantage to businesses. For example, Store A has a widget priced at $150.00, Store B has the same widget at the same price. Store A has surly, immature clerks who are more interested in checking their phones for text messages and can barely grunt the total price to you much less say hello or good morning. Store B has clerks that greet you when you enter the store, ask if they can help with anything else in addition to your widget and offers additional information regarding your widget at no extra charge.
On my score sheet, Store B gets one point.
Store A- 0
Store B- 1
Since there is more to customer service than the clerks, let's look at a few other examples such as accessibility. Store A is centrally located in your community on a major street. Store B is centrally located on a major street.
Draw- no points awarded
Store A- 0
Store B- 1
How about when you visit either Store A or B, your widget isn't in stock? Store A tells you that it isn't in and it might be in tomorrow and to check back with them later. Store B offers to call the supplier immediately for you and asks for your contact information so they can contact you when the widget is available for you. (Man, I have to tell you- so far Store B is awesome!!)
Store A- 0
Store B- 2
Another comparison between Stores A and B is time. Let's face it, we all have someplace else that we need to be and there never seems to be enough hours, minutes, or seconds in the day to get all that we want to accomplish. Store A has a line of people 3-5 people deep waiting to get their widget, and their method to getting those widgets to you is to have you wait in line and taking up your valuable time to tell them what you want and their process begins. It starts with the surly clerk who while is pretending to listen to your request, is actually checking a text to see where the party is that night or who is dating who. That clerk then relays to another person, who relays to another. Finally, your a widget is placed in a sack, payment is demanded and you are pushed out the door without so much as a "thank you" or a grunt showing that your business is appreciated. Only once you get home, you realize that the wrong widget was given and you have to go back to Store A and start the process over again.
Ever play the game where people whisper a phrase into their neighbor's ear and it is passed on to a number of people? Generally the outcome is completely different than the original statement. As a consumer, you deserve to receive the widget that you want and/or need and the margin for error should be as minimal as possible.
Store B on the other hand has 3-5 people waiting for their widgets, but the clerks come to you rather than serving one person at a time, causing you to wait in line. The order for your widget is written down and repeated to you in order to check for accuracy and then delivered to the person who fills your order. Your order is then triple checked for accuracy and you are back to your busy life with hardly any time wasted at all.
Store A- 0
Store B- 3
Of course, the above scenario is purely fictitious. But yet, there are definitely stores that possess these qualities, both positive and negative. Although, if price and location are the same and by some crazy coincidence the descriptions above were actual stores, which store would be the most logical (there's that keyword again) choice?
In my opinion, it's a no-brainer. Store B would be the one that gets my business. Honestly though, I constantly find myself finding errors in the customer service at businesses that I visit. And, if I am truly being honest, I am probably a pretty tough customer in that I believe that if I am paying my own, hard earned cash, I deserve to be treated in a polite and courteous manner and receive the proper items.
I couldn't be the only one who thinks that way, could I? Somehow, I don't think so....
So now, let's examine How Change Can Be A Good Thing.
Does anyone remember when Coca-Cola tried a new formula? Coke fans strongly expressed their dissatisfaction and quicker than you could have said "oops, maybe we shouldn't change a good thing here" Coca-Cola Classic was on the shelves and soon thereafter the "new" formula was nothing but a distant memory. That, would be an example of when change isn't such a great thing.
But what if the change was taking a new job in a new city? The new job offered better pay, benefits, bonus schedule, free child care...the works! And along with the great changes in your job you get to move to a new city that could provide better schools for your children, more entertainment options, and a strong and vibrant community that has all that you could ask for!
Change can also pay dividends in your personal life. Be it changing your diet and exercising more or quitting a vice you may have like smoking or gambling. Changing your diet and exercising could help you not only get into better shape, but also provide an improved feeling of yourself. Quitting smoking could help you live a longer, healthier life and curbing a gambling addiction could lead to a few more dollars in your pocket and/or reduce stress in your life.
One type of change that gets under my skin is when one of my favorite establishments or sporting team changes management and/or ownership. The new manager tries to keep everything the same but doesn't have the same "touch" that the previous manager had. I'm sure we can all think of examples of those types of changes. A few that come to mind is John Blake and OU football. Coach Blake seemed to have all the necessary qualifications to lead the Sooners to glory but yet he just couldn't do the job. Same thing with the Dallas Cowboys and Wade Phillips or Time/Warner buying AOL,or even the decision to produce the Edsel and so on.
The common denominator in most changes is risk versus reward. How much risk are the companies, sports teams, and or even customers willing to risk in order to reap the benefits of the change being the right decision. Coke took a risk and they paid for it, however they are still doing pretty well today. The new job and city could present risk in that you are leaving the place that you have always been, a comfort zone so to speak, in that you are leaving and have no idea of the possibilities that would be available to you. The changes in your personal life would represent sacrifice which would require will power and intestinal fortitude in order to achieve the desired result. OU took a calculated risk in hiring Bob Stoops that seems to have paid off while the Dallas Cowboys found that Wade couldn't accomplish the goals set by the ownership of the team. AOL is still around (I think), but the reward for Time/Warner has not been anywhere near their expectations. And the poor Edsel has become synonymous with failure. Sometimes customers feel that change would be too difficult and are willing to sacrifice reward without knowing how little risk is involved.
Retail businesses deal constantly with change. An example would be one of my favorite record stores (for the kids reading this- a record is a round piece of vinyl that had grooves on it and when a needle was placed on it in a record player...aww heck, I'm showing my age again- suffice to say it's a music store) changed managers. The first manager kept a wide range of music and was extremely knowledgeable of not only new bands coming out but could also suggest some incredible music that was just under the radar of the Billboard Top 40. Well, that manager was so good that he was offered and accepted a position in a completely different city and was replaced by someone who thought they knew music, but in the end really didn't know much more than what was the popular artist at the time and would try to pretend to be knowledgeable of the music scene therefore causing my experience to be less than satisfactory. What I ended up doing was asking advice of fellow music lovers, saw various options and found the store that best fit my needs.
It reminds me of the following verse from Matthew 7:7:
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
Although the verse isn't talking about record stores or coaches, I think that it provides sound advice into many aspects of our lives. It also reminds me of a song by U2 called, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" where Bono sings about his struggles with finding a place in which he believes and feels comfortable and accepted in while listing the various options he took. The song and the verse have more in common with each other rather than making consumer decisions but both speak about the apprehension of weighing risk versus reward when making a change.
Sometimes, the hardest thing we can do is ask someone else for help or advice but once we can do so, more often than not a more attractive option is presented. Also, perhaps we are looking for the Store B or service as described above we find a familiar face behind the counter. Or when we realize a potential opportunity- we need to possess the courage to walk up to that door and see what is available to us, perhaps the solution to our problem can be solved much easier than expected.
Apples are apples and oranges are oranges and they can both be found in grocery stores but are quite often they have different prices. Sometimes we go to the place that is more convenient to our location, sometimes we go to the place with higher prices because we receive better service or selection, or maybe we just go to the same store because that is where we have always gone. People can become creatures of habit, and Coke was hoping that customers would continue buying their product even though it was a new formula, what they found was that their customers wanted the product that they have known and trusted in its quality for years.
But if you had the opportunity to choose between two stores that had the same prices and products but certain differences existed such as customer service or management that possesses the quality and experience that you are looking for, and quite frankly deserve...wouldn't it be logical to knock on the door of that establishment and see if and how you can get the highest possible value for your money?
The doors at Heritage Pharmacy don't have to be knocked on, they open automatically and welcome you in as you recognize the person behind the counter that represents the quality, experience and service that you deserve and have received since 1976. From his beginning at the Wal Mart pharmacy to his recent opening of Heritage Pharmacy, Dennis Satchell has been and continues to be a trusted source of advice as well as a loyal friend to the families in the area who have received the value of his experience and generosity to those that have asked, searched, and found what they were looking for in a trusted pharmacist.
At Heritage Pharmacy, we strive to provide value to you and your family, not only in your pocketbook, but also with the knowledge that your satisfaction is our primary mission. We invite you to stop by and let us show you exactly how important your well-being is to us and how easily your goal can be realized of receiving quality care that you deserve.
No comments:
Post a Comment