Whose Best Interest Is It, Anyway?
By Erik Cagle
The customer is not always right, contrary to popular belief. It is, from where you're sitting, to the benefit of your clientele. But how often I've wished that the retail sector would take the point of view more often.
The retail sector treats customers like...what's the word I'm looking for...oh yeah, crap. Sure, consumer loyalty is not nearly what it is in B2B, and the retail segment relies more on foot traffic than establishing long-term relationships with a core group of clients. Consequently, we miss out on all the nice subtleties that make standing business/client relationships so valuable.
On the contrary, not only is the customer rarely right in the retail sector, one blaring declaration can be heard ringing throughout the land: "Take it or leave it, because we don't care what you think."
Example: It's time for the annual family portrait, so we all pile into the Intrepid and race down to the local mall, which boasts a Sears Portrait Studio. It's not my idea; the other half insists on an annual grip-n-grin, especially with two children growing so quickly.
I've never liked going to Sears, which has a WYSIWYG style of shooting pics and a limited amount of do-overs (don't blink). Their props and backgrounds are the same ones they've had every year since about 1997. The gift prop is a red block of wood with paint chipping on all the corners. All fans and other means of air conditioning are kept in the off position, guaranteeing the glazed look that is so popular around the holidays. Our infant looks dazed and confused, and all the boy can do is bellow, "Daddy, I gotta poopy."
I didn't think it could get worse. I was wrong.
Apparently, Sears' latest package features less service for the same amount of money. Instead of six backgrounds for six portraits, customers now can only choose three backgrounds. To make matters worse, our CSR tried to make the same pose count for two pictures. Her explanation: "We want to have two pictures to choose from in case dirt gets on the film."
Say What?
At this point I start chastising the CSR, and my wife's complexion now matches the Christmasy red on her sweater. It seems the older I get, the more I don't mind making a scene. But we're paying for six portraits, and damn it, if we can't vary our backgrounds, at least we should be able to vary the poses. I win a small battle and we get to have six different poses (one family, one of the two kids together and two each of the kids alone). But I walk out seething, raging aloud that I shouldn't have to fight to get a minimal amount of customer service. I vow never to return there in the future...not that Sears cares about keeping my business down the road.
This sort of shabby treatment just doesn't fly in the graphic arts business. Your clients are increasingly seeking the complete service package—all products and services under one roof—and because of it, they want to reap all the possible cost savings that can result from such a relationship.
Could you possibly imagine altering your previous contract proposals to include even less than its predecessor? Imagine raising your fees while still using antiquated equipment, with a manufacturing facility that strongly resembles the contents from someone's garage? Imagine doing all this, and maintaining the client?
Picture telling a client that the run of 5,000 books can only be printed on Tuesday, because that's the day you print short-run materials. Or that you'll only print and mail materials west of the Mississippi. Try telling a client you won't perform both saddlestitching and perfect binding for a job, that it has to be one or the other because, well, that's your policy.
Here's another example of "when poor customer service attacks." We nearly lost the services of our pediatrician who, due to budget cuts, was slated to be laid off prior to an 11th hour reprieve. The doctor was to be replaced by a specialist. We entrusted this man with the welfare of our children's physical and emotional growth, an excellent doctor who truly cares not only about his patients, but allaying the concerns of parents, as well.
Anyone who has had children can empathize with the sensitivity and difficulty in obtaining a pediatrician you can entrust with such a valuable asset. I wrote an impassioned letter in defense of our doctor to his superiors—not that I expected his position to be spared. It just happened to be one of the rare instances in which a health care provider considered its clients' best interests.
One question that every business which hangs its shingle ought to ask itself is: "Whose interests are we serving?" Given the increased level of competition, that answer should be obvious.
You are the anchor leg in a business relay team, a segment that is relied upon to make a reasonable effort toward making the sacrifices that will lead to victory. Think less of your own needs and think more in terms of how you can make your client successful.
After all, there's no "I" in team.
There's no "me" in Sears anymore, either.
- People:
- ERIK CAGLE