Customer Service - These two words say it all for a retail business. This is what retailers rely on, in order to obtain the consumers' patronage; or, at least it use to be.
Over the last week, I have been diligently shopping for an auto part for my little buggy. Unfortunately the part, which I have been searching for, seems to have become an obsolete item in the auto industry. But I have pressed on and in the process, I have learned a lot about the technique of shopping today - via the Internet.
The two things which I have learned are;
1) it was easier to go from store to store, and
2)Customer Service is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
Now how does this relate to a grocery store? I found myself longing for the same kind of Customer Service, which the customers in our store receive. Especially, since I really had no knowledge of what I was looking for.
In all of my surfing the sites, calling the 800 numbers, talking to real people and sending emails to companies - I came up with only one party that took the time to not only assist me with my search but, provide me the necessary information of what I was in need of. And the party was very nice, patient and thoughtful when assisting a person who had absolutely no clue of what they were talking about.
This is when I realized that retailers do not have to rely on this thing called, Customer Service in order to gain the consumer market.
One person told me, not too long ago, that they shop wherever they can get the best deals.
"Now don't get me wrong, I like to shop where people are nice to me." she said. " But if I can get what I want at a good price at _________, then I could care less if the cashier thanks me or tells me to have a nice day."
Customer Service is not regarded, anymore, as the big ticket item to attract customers; that is becoming evident in today's market. And we have only ourselves, the consumers, to blame because we don't demand it anymore from the retailers. That, in itself, is a shame.
And if we were to examine the retail market without Customer Service, we would find shopping to be frustrating and become more of a dreaded chore then it already is.
In other words, Customer Service plays an important part in the social aspect of shopping. This service makes shopping easier and less frustrating.
As in all things that come along to improve our daily lives, we lose something along the way.
And unfortunately, we do not realize it until years down the road.
My lesson from all of this is that, Customer Service is a valuable tool in the retail industry; whether we recognize it or not. And without this service, we can only look forward to a society filled with grumpy, frustrated shoppers.
I hope that we, the consumers, come to our senses before it is too late. And perhaps, we will recognise how retailers are taking advantage of us by taking away from us the niceties and assistance, we so deserve, when spending our money in their establishments.
Talk at ya later!
Over the last week, I have been diligently shopping for an auto part for my little buggy. Unfortunately the part, which I have been searching for, seems to have become an obsolete item in the auto industry. But I have pressed on and in the process, I have learned a lot about the technique of shopping today - via the Internet.
The two things which I have learned are;
1) it was easier to go from store to store, and
2)Customer Service is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
Now how does this relate to a grocery store? I found myself longing for the same kind of Customer Service, which the customers in our store receive. Especially, since I really had no knowledge of what I was looking for.
In all of my surfing the sites, calling the 800 numbers, talking to real people and sending emails to companies - I came up with only one party that took the time to not only assist me with my search but, provide me the necessary information of what I was in need of. And the party was very nice, patient and thoughtful when assisting a person who had absolutely no clue of what they were talking about.
This is when I realized that retailers do not have to rely on this thing called, Customer Service in order to gain the consumer market.
One person told me, not too long ago, that they shop wherever they can get the best deals.
"Now don't get me wrong, I like to shop where people are nice to me." she said. " But if I can get what I want at a good price at _________, then I could care less if the cashier thanks me or tells me to have a nice day."
Customer Service is not regarded, anymore, as the big ticket item to attract customers; that is becoming evident in today's market. And we have only ourselves, the consumers, to blame because we don't demand it anymore from the retailers. That, in itself, is a shame.
And if we were to examine the retail market without Customer Service, we would find shopping to be frustrating and become more of a dreaded chore then it already is.
In other words, Customer Service plays an important part in the social aspect of shopping. This service makes shopping easier and less frustrating.
As in all things that come along to improve our daily lives, we lose something along the way.
And unfortunately, we do not realize it until years down the road.
My lesson from all of this is that, Customer Service is a valuable tool in the retail industry; whether we recognize it or not. And without this service, we can only look forward to a society filled with grumpy, frustrated shoppers.
I hope that we, the consumers, come to our senses before it is too late. And perhaps, we will recognise how retailers are taking advantage of us by taking away from us the niceties and assistance, we so deserve, when spending our money in their establishments.
Talk at ya later!
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