On our way back from Ottawa, we passed through a small town and saw the best sign message ever. It had me smiling the whole back to Kingston and still thinking about it 2 days later.
It was one of those light up signs that you can change the letters. Over the years it seems to be that churches come up with the most clever things to write and they've done it again.
This sign said "Sign broken, message inside."
How clever! Love it!
Showing posts with label being exceptional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label being exceptional. Show all posts
Disappointing Discounts
Yesterday it dawned on me. I've thought about it before, but yesterday I actually felt it - completely frustrated about a sale a local retailer was having. It's there 'we're closing' sale so everything is at amazing discounted prices. Sounds good right? Not if you are me.
I bought a bunch of stuff from that store before Christmas, some as presents, some as not. I didn't shop there because of the deal or because they were closing, but rather because I wanted to support them and I wanted what they were selling. But now I feel slighted.
People that may have never shopped there, nor supported them, are now privy to great deals on the SAME MITTS I bought from them at full pop. How is that fair? Their true shoppers / supporters pay full pop, and the bargain hunter (whom is never loyal) gets the deal? ARGH!
So, trying not to be the one that complains without offering a solution here are some ways that businesses (maybe not this one since they are closing shop) could not frustrate their loyal customers and still move their stock:
1. let regulars know about the sale dates in advance so they can decide if they will shop now or wait until then.
2. give regulars (with proof of recent purchase or something) a larger discount then just walk-ins.
3. have a regulars day.
Next time you're going to have a sale (and it seems like this is the month for them) or discount something, please, PLEASE don't disappoint your loyal regulars.
I bought a bunch of stuff from that store before Christmas, some as presents, some as not. I didn't shop there because of the deal or because they were closing, but rather because I wanted to support them and I wanted what they were selling. But now I feel slighted.
People that may have never shopped there, nor supported them, are now privy to great deals on the SAME MITTS I bought from them at full pop. How is that fair? Their true shoppers / supporters pay full pop, and the bargain hunter (whom is never loyal) gets the deal? ARGH!
So, trying not to be the one that complains without offering a solution here are some ways that businesses (maybe not this one since they are closing shop) could not frustrate their loyal customers and still move their stock:
1. let regulars know about the sale dates in advance so they can decide if they will shop now or wait until then.
2. give regulars (with proof of recent purchase or something) a larger discount then just walk-ins.
3. have a regulars day.
Next time you're going to have a sale (and it seems like this is the month for them) or discount something, please, PLEASE don't disappoint your loyal regulars.
Being Exceptional Escaped Them!
We began our long journey home yesterday from the Scotland/Ireland leg of the Trucker Management World Tour (pictures from all training sessions to be posted over this week!), with the airline we were flying with from Cork to Edinburgh missing a chance to be exceptional and create cheerleaders for themselves in us.
When I checked in, I was informed that my bags were over the weight limit, which I expected due to the training supplies and books we were carting around, but for which I was forgiven by the same airline on the initial trip down two days prior. The check-in person quickly wrote out a slip and curtly sent me over to the excess baggage counter, where I was billed 105 Euros - about $140 CAD. Fair enough - they have their rules for good reason, and I "got away" with one on the way down anyway, so no reason to complain.
But when we boarded the plane, and discovered that the flight was less than one-quarter full, I was angered by the fact that I was still charged this when in fact I was helping the flight by having overweight bags (they actually had those of us in the first ten rows stay seated while the others departed to keep the plane steady, since there wasn't enough baggage weight!).
Anyway, fair is fair - I broke their rules, and so have no right to feel upset from being made to pay as a result. But, the airline missed a great chance to be exceptional in their customer service and turn me into a cheerleader shouting their praises to everyone I come across by not charging it to me, especially given the status of the flight.
Are you seizing every opportunity to create cheerleaders for your business?
(PS. redemption for the Glasgow airport after our unfortunate "left baggage" incident there on Friday (see "Slainte from Ireland" post) - the airline there didn't charge me the excess baggage charge either for the final flight home, where I was even more over the limits!!)
When I checked in, I was informed that my bags were over the weight limit, which I expected due to the training supplies and books we were carting around, but for which I was forgiven by the same airline on the initial trip down two days prior. The check-in person quickly wrote out a slip and curtly sent me over to the excess baggage counter, where I was billed 105 Euros - about $140 CAD. Fair enough - they have their rules for good reason, and I "got away" with one on the way down anyway, so no reason to complain.
But when we boarded the plane, and discovered that the flight was less than one-quarter full, I was angered by the fact that I was still charged this when in fact I was helping the flight by having overweight bags (they actually had those of us in the first ten rows stay seated while the others departed to keep the plane steady, since there wasn't enough baggage weight!).
Anyway, fair is fair - I broke their rules, and so have no right to feel upset from being made to pay as a result. But, the airline missed a great chance to be exceptional in their customer service and turn me into a cheerleader shouting their praises to everyone I come across by not charging it to me, especially given the status of the flight.
Are you seizing every opportunity to create cheerleaders for your business?
(PS. redemption for the Glasgow airport after our unfortunate "left baggage" incident there on Friday (see "Slainte from Ireland" post) - the airline there didn't charge me the excess baggage charge either for the final flight home, where I was even more over the limits!!)
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