This customer is always right

A few months ago, I went to a new doctor for a minor matter. The office was beautiful.

When I walked in, two people were behind a counter talking. One of them saw me, picked up a clipboard with the standard new patient forms and handed it to me, without looking at me or saying anything.

I will not go back to that doctor.

In my local supermarket, there is a store cashier who is worse than rude, the cashier is indifferent. This person could not care less that I am spending my hard-earned money there. Indifference, surprisingly, is often an attitude worse than rudeness.

When you are treated badly, you see, you may get mad enough to complain, thus giving a person in power the chance to apologize or make it up to you. When your service is indifferent, owners, you may as well give your customer the directions to your competition.

I will not check my groceries out in the aisle that supermarket cashier is working, even if it means waiting an extra 10 minutes.

Many times, poor customer service has to be put in context. I have often compared some retail interactions with a movie. The experience should always be good, that is, the store should do something to make you feel appreciated.

When it does not, it is more than likely a frame or two of the film, and as such the entire operation should not be judged on that one incident alone.

But if there is a repeat of the bad behavior, chances are good that there is a breakdown in training or management or both.

In retail, there are the concepts of “form” and “essence.” Form is how a store looks. The essence is how a store feels.

Although not desirable, your place could look bad, but if you make people feel as though you have no task more important than to help them with their purchase, you are on your way to achieving essence.

The key to success is essence.

Last weekend, I was shopping at a store I have been visiting for more than 20 years and through one change of ownership. I keep shopping there because they have taken good care of me by providing the products I need in an easy environment.

When I walked in, it was as though I was bothering everyone, even though no one said a word to me. (There’s that indifference factor again.)

When I finally got some help, the person who was helping me find a particular product acted as though he had a hangover and was just marking time. Another person was alert but indifferent.

One aisle of the store that was in a shambles the day before was still a mess that next day.

I left upset, so I did what we should all do in these situations: I called the president of the company and left a brief, critical and, I hope, constructive message.

I told the president that mine was an informed opinion as I have been shopping in the store for so long and have also been teaching customer service for the same amount of time.

The president of the company, whom I will call “Pat,” called me back early the next morning. Pat got my voicemail but left me a message that included the two magic words that will make the difference in any relationship, whether it is personal or business.

Pat said, “I’m sorry.”

Pat owned 100% of my nightmare with no hesitation. That’s the sign of a good chief executive.

When I returned Pat’s call, I got voicemail and decided to stop playing phone tag by telling my whole story. I spoke so long that the voicemail message center cut me off. So, in keeping with my position as the area’s chief blowhard, I called back and finished up.

The most important point I made to Pat was that I was relating things that I would want to know if I owned the company. That, readers, is your justification for complaining to the top any time you get bad service. When you hesitate to complain, stop for a moment and consider whether, if you owned the company, you would want to know about your own recent bad experience.

Of course you would.

Pat and I finally talked live later that day. Pat’s explanation to me made perfect sense, then Pat explained what the company was going to do.

In less than three minutes, Pat made me feel as though the entire company had nothing more important to do that day than to right the wrongs I had indicated.

You don’t have to tolerate terrible service. Yes, you can speak with your wallet by shopping somewhere else, but if you do not speak up ? and I recommend going straight to the top ? nothing gets better.