Good Morning,
I am enjoying a very hot cup of Door County Cherry Creme Coffee and I am comfortable so it must be time to write.
A grocery chain popped on to the scene where we live a couple of years ago and just in this last nine months I finally have been using their services. I am one who stays pretty loyal to those who have served me for a long time and done fairly well. But, folks had been telling me to shop around and with inflation as it is, I seek bargains a little more than before.
Proverbs 15:23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is.
My first impression of the new guys is that their stores are much cleaner. The next thing I noticed is that the employees engage with the customers much much more. You are greeted and made to feel important. Everyone seems to be concerned about your shopping experience.
Here is an example. There is a cut of meat that from time to time I purchase just because we like it and it does remind me of my parents and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. You could call it comfort food. Except to drive to Michigan or ask others who are going North to pick up a couple of the coveted roasts, this store is the only one I know that supplies them where we live.
I was shopping yesterday and I was browsing the meat counter and was looking for those roasts. There weren't any and I was just about to move on when a butcher asked me if he could help me out with anything. Notice, I did not have to ask for help! I told him what I was looking for and he replied that there were none, but if I had a few minutes he would cut a roast for me and season it up. He said he needed 15 minutes. I agreed with a smile and asked if I could get two. He smiled and said "sure". I continued to shop and in 15 minutes I was back at the meat counter and he presented me with the roasts. He smiled and thanked me for making a purchase. With my mouth hanging open I replied with my own thank you for his great service.
He applied personal touch to the service the store offers. He could have said "we are all out of what you want, come back next Friday." before I left the store, I went to their service counter to comment on the young man and his willingness to help. I gave the lady at the desk his name and she laughed nicely. Her reply almost put me on the floor. "We do strive for friendliness and service. But having someone stop by to comment about this butcher is a regular thing here. He always goes above and beyond. I am afraid we are used to it." She let me fill out a comment card and said that it would go to the store manager.
Imagine that! In today's world, customer service that knocks you sox off, friendliness at every turn is an expectation. They even have enough staff to check you out and if you desire pack your groceries. I usually pack my own but yesterday the lady at the cash register wasn't busy and she jumped right in and help me pack up. She did not have to, but she did.
I know it is business, but it is that kind of service you don't expect any longer. It was refreshing that someone valued my hard earned money and wanted me back as a customer. I might be totally switching my grocery emporium in the future.
Lesson for today. We are all not in business, but most of us are consumers. How about your attitude? Are you pleasant to do business with? Are you rude towards staff? Do you greet them with a smile? Do you thank them and wish them a good day? How would your family, friends, and coworkers rate their experience with you? If the person interacting with you could fill out a survey on the interaction with you, what would they email to God about you? Better question?? Would you hire you?
Food for thought.
Marty
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