Competition is fierce these days, isn’t it? Especially in consumer goods and services. It used to be that stores could negotiate “exclusives” – products that could only be found at one retailer. It was and still is a retailers’ best move. A move designed to get customers to come to their store for certain items.
Exclusives have become harder to negotiate. Even high-end specialty chains are forced to accept the fact that what used to be “exclusive” to them can now be found in several locations. Not only do designers or brands want their products available in a variety of locations, they even open their own stores.
Sheesh – what’s a retailer to do?
Seems like the natural inclination would be to provide “extreme customer service”. To provide an experience so wonderful, so profound, that customers will gravitate toward your establishment not because it’s the only place to find a product but because they enjoy the ride. This is something that many claim, yet few master.
I should mention that I have first-hand experience here, having spent most of my career in retail at both the corporate and store level. And with the abundance of folks looking for work these days you’d think that stores would be staffed with top-notch associates. Apparently not.
Case in point. In planning for an upcoming overseas trip, Hubby and I decide to add an international plan to our mobile phone package. Even a discounted price per minute or MB would be better than overseas roaming charges.
Easy, right? Call the toll-free number, explain what I need and voila, we’re done.
LOL!
Before I go further, let me say that I am fully aware that many call centers are no longer stateside and that language barriers may exist. Yet I expect that I will still get the information I need.
That was my first mistake. It was like a bad interpretation of the famous baseball skit, “Who’s on First?”
Me: I’m interested in adding an overseas plan for a few weeks, including data.
Heavy Accent: Vell, vhat plan do you vant?
Me: Not sure; what are your plans?
Heavy Accent: Plans vary. Vhat plan do you vant?
Me – again, with frustration: What are your plans? How do I know what plan I want when you won’t tell me about the plans?
Heavy Accent: Vell there’s no need to get mad. I cannot help you if you are mad. Thank you for calling. Click.
So much for that transaction.
No problem; I’ll head to the local store where I can talk to someone in person, face to face. I’m sure they’ll want my business and be happy to help. As Hubby likes to say, “Let’s go talk to the clown”, his nod to all things drive-through.
Hubby and I enter the almost vacant store. Two sales associates to our right are working with customers; there are two more associates to our left plus one in front of us, all without customers. Sweet! This should be easy.
Associate: “Hi! How can we help you today?”
Me: “We want to learn about international voice and data plans.”
Associate: “OK. We need you to enter your information into this computer, and we’ll get you in line to speak with someone.”
Me: “What line? Why do I need to do this? We’re the only ones here. Can I just speak with someone? We’re in a bit of a time crunch.”
Associate: “Well, the sales associates are busy.”
I glance around the store wondering if other customers are wearing a cloak of invisibility, as I still see two “free” associates and only two customers other than me and Hubby.
Me: “Can one of those two associates help us?”
Associate: “One of them is about to go on break.”
Me: “Of course they are. I certainly wouldn’t want them to miss a break. What about the other one?”
Associate: “Oh, that’s the manager.”
Me – frustration building: “So you’re telling me that the manager doesn’t actually do any work? Is that why he can’t help us?”
Associate: “Uh, I uh, well, um…..”
Hubby looks at me, eyes pleading me to not twist off. I smile at the associate, while telling her I think it’s amazing that the store manager is incapable of helping a customer with a transaction. Yes, I believe I said it a little loudly. I wanted to make sure the manager knew why we were leaving.
And we did leave. Did it help? Doubt it. They probably couldn’t care less that we left, especially since they don’t receive any direct revenue as a result of my needing an international calling plan.
Yet they should care. Little did they know that at that same time, I was interested in purchasing a new phone. And the accessories.
I’m sure I’ll get my new phone. Just not from that particular location. After all, it’s not an exclusive.
© Tami Cannizzaro 2012 All Rights Reserved
Like Tami, I was terminated once (By my best friend, BTW – he is now on the board of the agency I lead, so I got him back – ha!), but you don’t have to be unemployed to learn something from this book. 
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