Have you ever walked into a store and wandered around a bit, looking for what you wanted, and ended up walking out empty handed? Did you ask yourself why? Was it a positive experience? Or did it pretty much suck? Do you want to go back again, or would you rather go somewhere else?

So, what is going on here? Simple. It is the reason Walmart has greeters. When you walk into Walmart, somebody smiles at you and looks you in the eye, and says “Welcome, what can we do for you today?” Walmart is a huge company, one of the biggest in the world, but they understand they are doing business with one customer at a time.

I walked into an equipment rental store the other day, not a Cooper branch, but another rental company. It was busy. Phones ringing, people working. You know what I mean right? Problem was nobody acknowledged me. Nobody even looked at me. Not that I am much to look at, but come on!

By contrast, that evening I went to an extremely busy restaurant for dinner. When I walked in, I was greeted with eye contact, a smile, and a big welcome. It was really busy, and I could not be seated right away, but you know what? That was ok. I did not mind because they cared that I was there, and they wanted me to be happy.

Think about it. Just one person can make the whole difference to a customer’s experience with an entire company! One person can make the difference between whether a customer comes back, or not!

Choose to be that one person who makes others feel important. Be genuine in your caring for other people. It is so simple. And you know what? You will feel happier too! That’s the best part.

Have a great week.

Doug Dougherty
CEO