When I walk through stores, eat at restaurants, or shop online, I notice the little things which influence me positively or negatively. Businesses make substantial investments to build their brands, but far too often the brand message doesn’t make it to the front line.
Just the other day, I was purchasing my morning joe from a national coffee chain. It was a busy morning, and everybody was caught up in the hustle of life. I was next in line when the clerk yelled, “What would you like?” I was hesitant to answer because the person in front of me was not finished putting their change in their wallet. I placed my order, only to be dismissed in a similar fashion. One shout down the line after another made this a tense morning experience. I even gave this establishment one more try, but still left with the same sense of insignificance. Not so surprisingly, I found another place that sells coffee. My new place of patronage treats me as an individual. Yes, the little things do matter.
I began to wonder why employees aren’t getting the proper training. During their orientation, they learn how to make coffee, clean up spills, use the cash register and other related tasks to keep the operation running smooth. What about brand? Aren’t they being trained to act in a way that conveys the positive brand image the company presumably wants to uphold?
After my experience, I began noting the little things that have changed my perception of a company’s brand. Below is my current list, and I encourage you to add your little things too.
I switched brands when:
- I entered a furniture store, and a salesperson rushed to me with his business card out. I felt “claimed” before another salesperson could get to me. I was supposed to find him when it was time to make a purchase.
- I went to a department store to purchase an appliance on the same day I received a coupon in the mail. When I arrived, none of the employees were familiar with the product or the sale.
- My regular auto dealer was recently purchased by another company. No one knew me anymore. The great service I enjoyed over many years no longer existed.
Today’s businesses need to train their employees about the “little things” which make them part of something bigger. Everyone from entry level to corporate level should exemplify the same positive image. The brand depends on it.
Share your story. I want to hear your “little things.” I switched brands when….
2 Comments
During the last week I had several situations where cashiers that were ringing up my merchandise, while handling my private credit card information were most of the time in an intense conversation with their coworkers. This way I witnessed several conversations about illnesses and relationships I did not want to hear while I felt otherwise invisible. The only time these people interrupted their conversation was to ask if I wanted to sign up for a company card. This did not happen only at a club food discounter where the cashiers probably have little time to socialize and have to help long lines of people, this also happened at upscale apparel stores while hardly anyone was in the store and sales staff had enough time to catch a breath and chat most of the time.
Tori, thanks for sharing.