When you are angry or irritated about a shopping experience, a service, especially during this epidemic, what is your first inclination? Social media blast? Stop and think. Calm down and relax a moment and then try writing and sending the company a well detailed e-mail.
I, like many consumers, like buying local when I can. We happen to have a very nice grocery store near us that offers the best in fresh seafood, prime meats and fresh produce from local farms. They also have a wonderful garden center. Their store associates have been with them for years and thus, not the youngest staff. They don’t have self check-out and they actually have people working in almost all of their dozen plus registers. Actually I happen to love self-check out in the big box store. Why? Because I don’t want to deal with a cranky kid or an adult that doesn’t want to be at work. During this epidemic, they excelled. They adapted and they stayed on top of inventory, cleanliness, etc. I share this background because this is a great way to start an e-mail – especially if it is true and you are authentic.
So the point of the e-mail. After providing them with the positive experience, I shared with them my dismay about seeing an elderly man and woman in the seafood department with no mask and they were accompanied by a store associate. They were having a wonderful time as I attempted to breathe though the mask and getting more irritated by the minute. I provided the details – day, time, etc. and hit send. To my surprise, on Memorial Day I received a call from the store manager. Did he make me feel important! We spoke for 15 minutes and honestly, instead of 50% of my shopping dollars they will get 90% of my future purposes.
Share with me some of your customer service stories. What did I learn? Stay off of some of the damaging social media sites. Neighbors tattling on neighbors is not productive or helpful in any way.