Customer Service

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Back in the early part of the twentieth century the general store was not only the place to buy everything one needed, it was also the social center of the community. A person might pop in to see “Mom and Pop” even if they didn’t need to make a purchase. Times were simple then. Customer service was just a way of life. In today’s modern times customer service has become a thing of a long forgotten era. We find that people go where they can get the best price because the economy has forced them to do so. The 500 pound gorilla has beaten up on customers, local businesses, and even their vendors all in the name of allegedly providing their customers what they need at the lowest price every day. But what has the customer given up?

Our gorilla store has all but eliminated customer service in the name of saving a few cents. In almost all of these gorilla stores you may find one or two outstanding employees who bend over backwards to provide outstanding customer service. 

The majority of the employees, though, could not care any less about their customers. I have stood in one of the few open check-out lines at the gorilla store waiting while my cashier was engaged in a personal conversation with a fellow employee. What the gorilla has forgotten is that, when customers can afford to choose service over price, they often do. 

As the economy improves, we will see the trend move away from the gorilla and his chimpanzee dollar-priced store cousins and towards those businesses that provide good quality merchandise at a reasonable price with outstanding service. It is time now to lay the groundwork for providing that service.

In the next few blogs we will discuss what customer service is and how providing great customer service does not cost the company at all. Even in a down economy great customer service will make money. A workman is only as good as his tools. A company must choose the right tools and the right workman to make the best use of those tools.

Disclaimer
The opinions or advice listed in this blog or website should be used as a place to start only. It is not a substitute for the use of a professional.
Please be sure to consult your attorney and/or accountant with any specific questions.
There is no one right answer to any business question that will cover all circumstances.
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