Monday, April 21, 2008
Work Ethic
My Dad taught me a strong work ethic by simply working. I watched how hard he worked. He never took a sick day. I think he actually thought the world might stop revolving if he stayed home sick. I went into a store the other day to buy a certain product. My wife and I ordered four products. After we returned home I checked the prices for the exact same products on line. The prices on line were about twelve percent lower. I called the sales rep back to inform him of the price difference. I said I want to order through your store but give me a reason. I asked if the prices could be lowered. The sales rep was very busy and told me he would call me back. I asked him to please call me back before he leaves or I am going to order through the internet. No one called me back. Is it asking too much for someone to stay an extra two minutes to call me back ? Don't get me wrong I support my local stores. I am in my neighborhood hardware store at least once a week and sometimes multiple times in the same day. If stores want to survive in this electronic world they better provide service. Personal service is the only thing the web can't provide and when it is no longer provided by your neighborhood store what incentive do you have to order through that store ? We know it isn't the price.
¶ 5:43 PM 
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Ordering on-line does save you money in many cases - Also, make sure you check the shipping charges/rates. In some instances I've learned, you can end up paying more if a seller has high delivery/shipping rates.
# posted by 
: April 22, 2008 6:53 PM
: April 22, 2008 6:53 PM
Kim advertised your blog on air, so I decided to take a look. I work retail so the story (post) interested me...
I'm sure you are aware the cost of doing business between retail locations and mail order sites is different. So naturally the costs passed onto the consumer are as well.
But then you have the convenience factor of not having to wait. All this is obvious stuff...
The problem I saw was no followup by the 'sales rep'. That was inexcusable IMO, even if he could not match the price he should have called. No consideration...
In my workplace in dealing with customers, I've been asked for merchandise I no longer carry, and have no way of bringing the product in because it was unavailable to me for reasons outside of my control. I pursued the issue with my superiors only to see a month or so later the product in question come in. (I still had the customers phone number and I called them).
They were extremely grateful, as I had not "forgotten" them. I never do...
I work for someone, I work for my customers because their purchase provides me with "my income". I am paid by an employer of course, but the money comes from the consumer.
It's a difficult attitude to maintain these days, because employers are asking people like me to do "more with less" in order to remain competitive. But customer service is crucial to any retail operation. Without the help caused by slashing payrole, you no longer have the service. You also create 'attitudes' that do not promote the business.
It's those darn "beancounters!"
http://yota-world.blogspot.com/2007/10/corporations.html
I'm sure you are aware the cost of doing business between retail locations and mail order sites is different. So naturally the costs passed onto the consumer are as well.
But then you have the convenience factor of not having to wait. All this is obvious stuff...
The problem I saw was no followup by the 'sales rep'. That was inexcusable IMO, even if he could not match the price he should have called. No consideration...
In my workplace in dealing with customers, I've been asked for merchandise I no longer carry, and have no way of bringing the product in because it was unavailable to me for reasons outside of my control. I pursued the issue with my superiors only to see a month or so later the product in question come in. (I still had the customers phone number and I called them).
They were extremely grateful, as I had not "forgotten" them. I never do...
I work for someone, I work for my customers because their purchase provides me with "my income". I am paid by an employer of course, but the money comes from the consumer.
It's a difficult attitude to maintain these days, because employers are asking people like me to do "more with less" in order to remain competitive. But customer service is crucial to any retail operation. Without the help caused by slashing payrole, you no longer have the service. You also create 'attitudes' that do not promote the business.
It's those darn "beancounters!"
http://yota-world.blogspot.com/2007/10/corporations.html
Online offers are to be the way of the future. That said, local retailers do need to compete with the prices and in doing so, offer something that cannot come from a URL. You hit the nail right on. I too support local business. I avoid Walmart due to the research I have done regarding labor practices and the way they exploit people. "Mom and Pop" shops can't compete with the prices so if I don't get the level of customer service I expect, I will and have gone somewhere else. Good column and well spoken. Thank you.
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# posted by : April 30, 2008 6:48 AM
: April 30, 2008 6:48 AMLinks to this post:
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