CUSTOMERS VOTE WITH THEIR FEET

Some time ago I received a very nice pen as a present.  This is the type of pen you see in a catalog and you wonder why anyone would pay that much for a pen.  After all, pens are rather cheap and easy to come by.     

But not this pen, it’s special.  It feels good when you hold it in your hand, and has a very high brand appeal.  One could say that it is a great “show pen.”     

But there is one major problem - every other line or so, the ink fades.  Now my handwriting is bad enough, now it is compounded by the inconsistency of blue faded ink.   

My first fix was to replace the ink.  But the problem continued.      

So now, I have my “show pen” clipped neatly in my shirt pocket, while I have another pen (my “work” pen – not as stylish and not as expensive) ready to take my notes in brilliant blue high-quality ink.                                                    

Why?         

We, as consumers, do things that are not reasonable.  We will sacrifice comfort and utility for style, fashion, and even brand, but only to a point.          

When the function of the service or product is so inconsistent, we will discard it over time and never come back.        

For example, right now I can not find my “show pen.”  It may be in the wash, at the cleaners or somewhere in my briefcase. But in the meantime, my “work” pen is in my hand like my trusted yellow Labrador retriever and his tennis ball.  

Your property, your brand may have a similar situation.  Our loyal customers come back time and time again for a great experience, and “put up with” slow service, unreasonable waits or indifferent Employees as examples.   

But if these and other items are not fixed or minimized, your most loyal customers will stop coming back, and you will wonder why.   

This week, please refer to your department property report, and discover where your customers are applauding your efforts, and what departments need attention.   

Pay close attention to the “friendly and helpful” and “wait time” scores. Shortfalls in these critical areas point to the pain our customers are experiencing.      

Find a way to improve -- they may not be back next time to tell you again! 

Until Next Friday,