| Is it my imagination or has customer service really | | | | should be that much of an ordeal. This store and |
| taken a beating lately? It seems that, on an almost | | | | other businesses like it need to wise up. |
| daily basis, we experience less than adequate | | | | Now you could argue that I just got a bad employee |
| customer service. Conversely, we could go ages | | | | and that it wasn't the organizations fault, but I |
| before experiencing extraordinary customer service. | | | | strongly disagree. In this instance it is painfully obvious |
| Have businesses lost sight of what made them | | | | that the organization had dropped the ball and needs |
| successful in the first place? It seems so. Here's an | | | | to look at their systems and procedures. Somewhere |
| example of something that happened to me last | | | | along the line, this employee was under the |
| week. | | | | impression that it was OK to refuse a customer |
| On the weekend I was hosting a rather large get | | | | service in order to make her life a little easier. She |
| together at my house. Approximately 30 people or | | | | was so sure of that fact that even though she new |
| so were coming at noon on Saturday for a Barbecue. | | | | that the manager was being called, she was still |
| As I usually do, I did the shopping for the event the | | | | adamant that she didn't have to slice the cheese. |
| night before at about 9:30 pm. I go to a large | | | | In my opinion, this organization failed on many levels. |
| National Grocery Store chain (which shall remain | | | | It obviously failed to instill a culture of customer |
| nameless) that is opened until midnight. It's just easier | | | | service. It failed to communicate any sort of |
| for me to do my grocery shopping at night. Anyway, | | | | expectation of superior service to this particular |
| I proceed to work my way through the store picking | | | | employee and it absolutely failed in its employee |
| things up here and there. At about 9:50 or so I end | | | | selection process. More importantly, I would wager |
| up at the deli counter. There was a young lady there | | | | that somewhere in their policies and procedures |
| wiping the counters. She looked up at me and gave | | | | manual, there is a procedure that says, "pre-slice and |
| me a head nod to acknowledge me and continued to | | | | package sufficient amount of cheese to last until the |
| wipe the counter. I assumed that she would put | | | | end of the night. clean machine by 10 pm." I would |
| down her cloth and attend to me (the customer), | | | | also venture to guess that it does not state what to |
| but I was incorrect in my assumption. (That was my | | | | do if they sell out of the pre-packaged cheese and |
| first clue that this was not going to go well) She | | | | then get a request for more cheese. Again to me it's |
| continued to wipe the counter until she had finished. | | | | a no brainer...you slice more cheese and then clean |
| (STRIKE 1) At that point she came over to me and | | | | the machine again. The overriding policy should always |
| asked "what can I do for you?" I asked her to slice | | | | be, "do whatever is necessary to please the |
| several cold cuts and for the next few minutes had | | | | customer." It wasn't that apparent to this particular |
| to listen to her complaining to a coworker about her | | | | employee and as a result, I will take my grocery |
| job, other employees and her private life. At one | | | | shopping needs elsewhere. |
| point even commenting on how she was going to go | | | | Let's work this out in terms of what it is going to |
| apply for a job at another business because she | | | | cost the business. I spend on average about a |
| didn't like working there. I'm sorry but I don't feel | | | | thousand dollars a month in groceries (probably more, |
| that, as a customer, I should have to listen to people | | | | but I want to be conservative), times 12 months a |
| complaining about their lives while I am being served. | | | | year, times 20 years of shopping (my lifetime value |
| (STRIKE 2) | | | | to the store)...this store just lost $240,000 in revenue |
| At that point her coworker went on a break and left | | | | because an employee didn't want to take a few |
| her alone. That's when things got worse. The | | | | minutes to clean a machine. Not to mention the hit it's |
| employee asked me if I needed anything else, to | | | | going to take in bad word of mouth and negative PR |
| which I replied, "yes, may I please have some | | | | when I retell my less than stellar customer service |
| Provolone cheese?" She said they were out. I | | | | story to anyone who will listen. |
| pointed out that there was a huge brick of Provolone | | | | You organizations out there need to wise |
| cheese in the display case, to which she answered, | | | | up...remember why your in business...to build profits |
| "but it's not sliced." That left me somewhat confused | | | | through superior guest service. In this day and age |
| as it did not sound to me as though this was an | | | | the only competitive advantage you have over your |
| insurmountable obstacle (silly me). I very naively | | | | competitors is the extent to which you can create |
| asked, "can't you just slice some?" Well you'd think I | | | | Raving Fans out of your customers. Select the right |
| just asked her to make me cheese from scratch. Her | | | | employees, ones with a customer service mindset, a |
| response was unforgivable from a customer service | | | | good attitude (you can train for skill, you can't train |
| standpoint. She told me that she would not slice | | | | for attitude) and common sense. Outline your |
| more cheese as she had already cleaned the cheese | | | | expectations clearly (do whatever is necessary to |
| slicer and she was off at 10 pm and didn't want to | | | | please the customer). Give your employees the |
| have to reclean the machine. Even more confused, | | | | proper training and tools to do their jobs and design |
| (knowing that the store closed at midnight and it was | | | | your systems, policies and procedures in a way that |
| not yet even 10 pm) I asked if the deli counter | | | | makes the customer the priority. Oh yeah...you |
| closed early. She informed me that it did not. Which | | | | managers out there...walk the floor. Make sure that |
| led me to my next silly question, "if the deli counter is | | | | your people are fulfilling your promise of superior |
| opened for another 2 hours, why can't I get my | | | | customer service, evaluate them, give them regular |
| cheese? She repeated that she was off at 10 pm | | | | feedback, deal with poor performers and consistently |
| and stated outright that she was not going to slice | | | | instill a customer service culture. |
| the cheese. (STRIKE 3, YOUR OUT!) | | | | PS. |
| I am not one that normally complains to the | | | | In case you haven't already guessed it...this was not |
| manager, when unsatisfied with service, I simply just | | | | about the cheese, it was about the principle. As an |
| don't return. I protest by withdrawing my business | | | | organizational consultant, my message to my clients |
| (as I believe alot of people do). But in this case I had | | | | is simple...if you want to achieve lasting success, your |
| a party to get ready for in the morning and didn't | | | | main focus and the central theme of all your |
| have time to go shopping for cheese somewhere | | | | employee and organizational policies and procedures |
| else the next day. So I really wanted that cheese! I | | | | must be to, "Exceed customer expectations and |
| asked to speak to a manager. I explained the | | | | create Raving Fans." Unfortunately it seems, the |
| situation to the manager and to make a long story | | | | opposite is true in most organizations. At the very |
| short, I got my cheese. Too little...to late. The | | | | least your employees should know to, "JUST SLICE |
| damage had already been done. I don't know, maybe | | | | THE @#&%$#ING CHEESE! |
| it's just me, but I don't think that buying cheese | | | | |