I like bagels – in particular a garlic bagel with a cream cheese smear on the side. So every morning on the way to work, I stop off at a local bagel shop across town and pick one up for me and my business partner. Incidentally, this local shop outsold, overcame, and outlasted the intrusion of an Einstein Bagel franchise in part, I believe, because of their fun and friendly staff. Not to sound like my father who regaled to me over the years with stories of traipsing through ten feet of snow in hurricane force winds, uphill (both ways) to get his education, but I drive very much out of my way and through the eternal construction zone each day for my breakfast when it would be much easier and less expensive to buy my bagel and cream cheese at the bakery near my house.
Why do I do this? Simple, I love the level of customer service I get each morning. The employees are happy, friendly, and have a good time at work. As a business owner myself, I know the challenges that come from trying to motivate staff, so when I see an example like this, I’ll trek through hell or high water to support them – and so will many other people. That my friends, is why you need to value and respect your staff, because not many people are willing to inconvenience themselves to spend their money at your store, unless it is an exceptional experience and that experience is completely dependent on your front line employees.
smartnsavvy
