Customer Service

In my opinion, customer service is the undisputed king of retail. I work at JCPenney and customers come in and are pleasantly surprised when I can find them an item or order it for them with a minimum of fuss. I have lost count of the number of times that I have heard that the customer had been to other stores and the store's associates did not even know their own merchandise! Just as those customers do, I expect more when I go to a store knowing I will pay more money than if I was willing to just go to a mass merchandiser for the item.

I am even more exacting when I am in a restaurant. I am one of those individuals who will *politely* discuss a situation with a manager if something is wrong with my service. I give the server time to remedy the situation, but he/she better try to fix the problem, or at the very least acknowledge that it exists.

If I am out at a sit-down restaurant I expect that if my water glass is empty, that within 15 minutes the server will be back to ask if I want a refill. This does not seem extreme to me, simply what I am paying for. In my defense when my service is good, I am a great tipper. I appreciate the extra effort and will reward accordingly. However, bad service will result in a tip of merely 10%. (I have never not left a tip, but I did calculate 10% down to the last penny once.)

Customer service is an oft-repeated phrase in retail, yet it is extremely important. Brand loyalty was mentioned in a previous blog, but is important here too since customer service can help develop it. For example, whenever I visit my parents and they ask where I want to go it is typically a choice between Max & Erma's and Ruby Tuesday's since I usually want a salad. I love the food at both restaurants, but sometimes the higher degree of service that I have received at Max & Erma's makes the choice easier. Customer service is more than just a phrase, it is the core concept that has kept businesses afloat even when times are tough.