A manager once told me that this store has a definite 'vibe' about it. And, that's a good thing. That 'vibe' is the personality of the store. When you take a group of people and put them together for a long period of time they, sooner or later, become one; actions, speech, thought process, skills and humor. Each reflecting the other.
And come to find out that is what our store has been most noted for, or at least that is what the customers tell me. It's not the company name, products, sales or even this 'customer appreciate' thing - it is us.
But, be that as it may, this 'vibe' may be changing. And, that is not a good thing.
With the transfer of employees becoming more common, more part-time employees being hired on and managers coming and going more constant, different personalities and work performances have come into play.
One of the highlights around here is that customers enjoy stopping and chatting with the employees, while doing their shopping. Most generally they know your name and over the years you have come to know about their families, health and all sorts of incidentals of what they, the customer, are going through. In a way, you have become friends. And if there is anything the customers wish to bring to our attention, they know that the employees will follow through.
So the other evening two of our loyal customers stopped to chat and fill me in with all of the latest. While they were talking to me, they started to tell me of a couple of incidences that they had encountered here at the store.
They started to tell me that they 'love ' this store and how much they enjoy so many of the employees. But recently they had noticed that the newer employees were not as helpful - friendly, just not helpful. While shopping in one of the perishable departments they brought to the attention of a clerk that a particular product, which was on sale, did not look good and that there was not very much of it prepared. The clerk, in a friendly way, just agreed with the customer and made no offer of assistance and just walked away. Something that this customer was not use to. So the customer just left - something else the customer is not use to doing.
This is just one of quite a few stories that have been related to me.
It's disappointing, to say the least, and although I hate to see this happen it is understandable when you consider the changes that this store has been going through.
Not too long ago, I was having this very discussion with another long term employee. During the conversation we both agreed on the different things that we had witnessed and how sales had been affected.
So, I asked her, "Are we losing the 'vibe'?
She nodded her head - yes.
Talk at ya later!
And come to find out that is what our store has been most noted for, or at least that is what the customers tell me. It's not the company name, products, sales or even this 'customer appreciate' thing - it is us.
But, be that as it may, this 'vibe' may be changing. And, that is not a good thing.
With the transfer of employees becoming more common, more part-time employees being hired on and managers coming and going more constant, different personalities and work performances have come into play.
One of the highlights around here is that customers enjoy stopping and chatting with the employees, while doing their shopping. Most generally they know your name and over the years you have come to know about their families, health and all sorts of incidentals of what they, the customer, are going through. In a way, you have become friends. And if there is anything the customers wish to bring to our attention, they know that the employees will follow through.
So the other evening two of our loyal customers stopped to chat and fill me in with all of the latest. While they were talking to me, they started to tell me of a couple of incidences that they had encountered here at the store.
They started to tell me that they 'love ' this store and how much they enjoy so many of the employees. But recently they had noticed that the newer employees were not as helpful - friendly, just not helpful. While shopping in one of the perishable departments they brought to the attention of a clerk that a particular product, which was on sale, did not look good and that there was not very much of it prepared. The clerk, in a friendly way, just agreed with the customer and made no offer of assistance and just walked away. Something that this customer was not use to. So the customer just left - something else the customer is not use to doing.
This is just one of quite a few stories that have been related to me.
It's disappointing, to say the least, and although I hate to see this happen it is understandable when you consider the changes that this store has been going through.
Not too long ago, I was having this very discussion with another long term employee. During the conversation we both agreed on the different things that we had witnessed and how sales had been affected.
So, I asked her, "Are we losing the 'vibe'?
She nodded her head - yes.
Talk at ya later!
