Too Good to be True?
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When you are going out to purchase office supplies can you really tell the difference between Office Max, Office Depot, Staples or any other brand that is out there? Of course you can’t…
I have an interesting story about one of these big box office supply retailers that I feel compelled to share. As always the name will not be used to protect the innocent.
So I walk into one of these office supply emporiums to pick up a couple of odds and ends. No sooner did I step foot in the front door than I heard a big cheery sincere voice say, “Hello, welcome to blah blah blah!”. Actually I had to do a double take. Had I just walked into the Magic Kingdom of Office Supplies? I was waiting for this vibrant young lady behind the counter to crown me with a set of mouse ears…
It gets better. As I pass by the counter a sharp young man greets me with a huge smile and asks me if he can help me find what I’m looking for. After I got up off the floor and dusted myself off I said sure and shared with him my office supply needs. By this time I’m flabbergasted (did I just use the word flabbergasted in a blog?) The thought ran through my head that finally one of these mega-stores had decided they were going to differentiate their service and possibly get me as a customer for life – Until we passed the first row of computer paper and there they were…THE CORPORATE HACKS! You can tell these guys from a mile away --Two guys in ties, with clipboards obviously conducting a store inspection. The moment they caught my eye I could hear a sound like a balloon popping in my head. My bubble had burst.
Obviously, the only reason I was getting so much attention was because the Gestapo was in town!
The Moral to the Story
IT CAN BE DONE! IT’S JUST NOT THAT DIFFICULT! Why is it only done when the corporate heat is on? Can you imagine if our front line workers were as eager to impress their customers as they are their bosses? Can you imagine what service would be like in America today? While this may be a disheartening story to some I walked away with a renewed faith in knowing – IT CAN BE DONE!
I have an interesting story about one of these big box office supply retailers that I feel compelled to share. As always the name will not be used to protect the innocent.
So I walk into one of these office supply emporiums to pick up a couple of odds and ends. No sooner did I step foot in the front door than I heard a big cheery sincere voice say, “Hello, welcome to blah blah blah!”. Actually I had to do a double take. Had I just walked into the Magic Kingdom of Office Supplies? I was waiting for this vibrant young lady behind the counter to crown me with a set of mouse ears…
It gets better. As I pass by the counter a sharp young man greets me with a huge smile and asks me if he can help me find what I’m looking for. After I got up off the floor and dusted myself off I said sure and shared with him my office supply needs. By this time I’m flabbergasted (did I just use the word flabbergasted in a blog?) The thought ran through my head that finally one of these mega-stores had decided they were going to differentiate their service and possibly get me as a customer for life – Until we passed the first row of computer paper and there they were…THE CORPORATE HACKS! You can tell these guys from a mile away --Two guys in ties, with clipboards obviously conducting a store inspection. The moment they caught my eye I could hear a sound like a balloon popping in my head. My bubble had burst.
Obviously, the only reason I was getting so much attention was because the Gestapo was in town!
The Moral to the Story
IT CAN BE DONE! IT’S JUST NOT THAT DIFFICULT! Why is it only done when the corporate heat is on? Can you imagine if our front line workers were as eager to impress their customers as they are their bosses? Can you imagine what service would be like in America today? While this may be a disheartening story to some I walked away with a renewed faith in knowing – IT CAN BE DONE!
9 Comments
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Comment by Debra Straka on August 28, 2008 at 11:44am - The training here (or lack thereof) should not be ignored. This should be standard operating procedure. Corporate should be using mystery shoppers, I am sure they would be surprised with the results.
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Comment by Bill Campion on August 28, 2008 at 7:46pm - Judy: Good guess. you nailed it. Amazing... Debra, should is the key word. I was a corporate hack myself and it always bugged me how the corporate hacks got all the attention and the guests seemed to be a secondary concern.
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Comment by Bill Campion on August 30, 2008 at 8:05am
- JTF - You are good. You must have ESPN...
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Comment by Andy Swingley on August 30, 2008 at 8:12am - It's easy to engage the mind, but engaging the heart....that is what gets what you describe....care for the guest or customer
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Comment by Bill Campion on August 31, 2008 at 11:05am
- Andy: Engaging the heart - exactly! I would love to hear more about this topic. It is exactly what needs to happen and so few truly know how to do this. Either they don't know how or they aren't willing to take the time.
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Comment by Bill Campion on August 31, 2008 at 11:09am
- JTF - I didn't really know that about Staples - they have just become my office supply store of choice. At least they are trying. Thanks!
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Comment by Andy Swingley on August 31, 2008 at 11:39am
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Bill, whatever you are doing, you have to stop, go to the bookstore and pick up John Kotter's latest book, "a sense of urgency" I am half way through it, it speaks to this subject better than I could ever, and with each page it is quickly becoming one of my favorite leadership books.
I am ordering 30 copies and am going to make it a study with everyone that works with or for me.
Tell me what you think about it
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Comment by Bill Campion on August 31, 2008 at 11:56am
- Buddy: I love John Kotter. I'm going to send you an HBR article that outlines his model for effective change. I'm going to buy the book today. Let's keep sharing. BC
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Comment by Amanda Hite on September 2, 2008 at 1:08pm - 'Corporate Hack' my new favorite term!
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