Poor customer service can strike down even the biggest and brightest commercial retailer.
By Jim Callahan
Recently, I arrived at my bank on a Saturday morning as they opened the doors—and I hoped—the vault. Little did I know it would be another day of big business in Corporate America, in the greater Atlanta area where I live.
I did a fast burn as I waited impatiently in a line of 21 other customers, while two tellers did their best to speed along the mass of consumers. In close proximity, a bank executive merely stood immobile, but not so statue-like to utter the comment that was overheard: “It’s not my job,” he said, referring to the activity at the teller stations. He continued with: “Besides by this time next year there will be no more tellers. It will all be digital.”
This particular branch had previously closed their drive-through lanes with the objective of providing customers more personalized service.
Can you say, ‘insult to injury?’
CUSTOMERS MATTER
Waiting, I thought of how big business has lost sight of the core meaning of customer service, whether it’s banking, big box, fast food or numerous other retail enterprises. It makes one marvel at the stellar job that Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A does, proving you can run a clean, fast food chain with quality food and excellent service and still be profitable.
Then I thought that considering that various industries fall further down when it comes to generating goodwill among American consumers, c-stores are perfectly poised to pounce when it comes to grabbing more market share.
As the annual conference of the National Association of Convenience Stores approaches, the reputation that the convenience store industry continues to earn for stellar customer service and image is reaching an all-time high. That image is buoyed greatly by major convenience providers such 7-Eleven, Sheetz, QuikTrip, Rutter’s, Wawa and Stewart’s Shops, along with many more c-store chains.
New store openings by diverse chain operators are offering more fuel dispensing capabilities and state-of-the-art buildings. Still, there are mountains to climb, and we can refer to the great examples that these top-quartile operators set—especially when it comes to a dedication to good customer service, which each chain includes in its daily repertoire.
SQUARE WHEELS
Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the ever-improving image that hard work has earned by raising the bar even higher. Nothing succeeds like success.
Of course, success can go to your head. Sometimes too much success can cause you to trip, taking you off the path that established you in the first place. Think of Walmart and McDonald’s, for example. Both corporations seem to have forgotten the very principles that allowed them to grow into the huge behemoths they have become today.
If I have learned one thing in my 49-year romance with c-stores and truck stops, it’s that your customers are mostly willing to grant second chances, but over time, will adjust their buying habits to how they are treated.
Walmart, which has an effective self-service program in place, fails at times by only operating two of 17 available cashier lanes, which I observed during a recent shopping trip. Even more, the art of taking care of wheel repairs on their shopping carts seemingly has disappeared. Have you ever tried to get down a store aisle with a cart with flattened or misshaped, square wheels? You can’t do it and stay congenial.
A company that continually sacrifices customer service to squeeze out extra quarterly profits is in for a rude awakening. In Walmart’s case, it’s their high number of product out-of-stocks often on display.
Conversely, McDonald’s cleanliness and product quality has fallen quite drastically and this giant, which prided itself on being able to move drive-through lane customers happily on their way faster than a speeding bullet, now routinely takes 10-25 minutes to deliver food, especially after the introduction of the all-day breakfast menu. The restaurant doesn’t seem to have enough cooking space and capable employees to meet the demand they have created.
It doesn’t take long for flat business execution to lose face with customers. It also doesn’t take long for these square wheels to get passed by. As it often is, the c-store channel is perfectly poised to pounce.
Industry veteran Jim Callahan has more than 40 years of experience as a convenience store and petroleum marketer. His Convenience Store Solutions blog appears regularly on CStoreDecisions.com. He can be reached at (678) 485-4773 or via e-mail at [email protected].
