Recently my wife and I were in a big box flooring store buying tile for upgrades we are making on our home. As with many retail establishments trying to get back in business after the pandemic, this retailer had its challenges. They were short-staffed, so it took longer to complete the full sales cycle. I never saw a manager in the store that evening. While I was waiting to talk with a salesperson, another customer began complaining to an employee. The employee was assembling his order. His issue was about the time it took to have a salesperson help with his order and then to have the selection pulled. He wasn’t quiet about it either. He became somewhat animated. I sympathized with him; however, I noted that his approach was unproductive as he complained to the wrong person. He directed his anger at an employee equally frustrated by the situation. He might have been more effective if he had found a manager to express his thoughts. Or maybe even a letter to the company CEO. But railing at a non-management employee? Hardly a wise decision.
Complain to the right person about the correct issue.
Whenever I observe or hear of someone getting ugly with someone trying to help them, I remember a story I heard early in my career. I don’t know if it’s true; however, the message is instructive. The story tells about someone trying to get an airline flight home after a difficult week. Thunderstorms in the area created a challenge for the airlines. As it took longer for the ticket agent to find a suitable flight, this passenger became more agitated. He berated the ticket agent, complaining about her employer’s poor customer service, and suggested that she was incompetent. Ultimately this gentleman got his ticket and boarded his flight. However, he landed in Peoria, not his destination, and his luggage arrived in Timbuktu. As I said, I don’t know if the story is true, but from my experience, it certainly could’ve been. It was likely a punchline to a comedian’s joke, however prescient. The moral of the story is never making an enemy of someone trying to help you.
Please don’t misunderstand; there is a time and place for customers to express their displeasure with their service. Hearing customer feedback is critical to help companies improve their operations and become more competitive. However, one must deliver input to someone who can make a difference. Make a meaningful contribution by offering your complaint to customer service representatives, a manager, or someone responsible for the customer's experience. Share on X Otherwise, you have wasted your time and that of your target.
Successful employees quickly learn that a large part of their job is to solve problems. They are successful because they present solutions that resolve negative situations. Employing this strategy ensures further career success. Most corporate types have heard their superiors say, “bring me solutions, not problems.” I have witnessed the benefits of following this career-development strategy. My career was launched and maintained by finding solutions to problems that were hurting my company’s effectiveness. I know of many people who have had success following this principle.
Let’s return to my experience at the flooring store. The picker noticed my cooperation during this situation and pointed that out to the complaining customer. I nodded in agreement that it was not his fault as he was also a victim of their staffing shortage. I can tell you; he bent over backward to help me when it was my turn to be served.
If you have an issue with a vendor, find someone to help you resolve your issue. Make sure that person understands how their service failed to meet your expectations. But don’t stop there. Send a letter to a more senior manager with a summary of the incident. A written note is especially relevant to recognize a satisfactory resolution. Doing so is an opportunity to generate goodwill by recognizing the person who helped you experience a positive result. Don’t waste time complaining to someone who cannot resolve the situation. Seek out someone who can.
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Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners
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Last week, one of my clients filed for Chapter 11 Reorganization. Now, two of my clients are in Chapter 11, working to find a path back to solvency. In April, I was engaged by a new client to help them find a way out of Chapter 11. In the case of the two former clients, I can honestly say that I wasn’t responsible for the circumstances leading to their demise. In other words, I didn’t place any executives who caused these problems, and I haven’t been involved in consulting projects that resulted in adverse consequences. To the contrary, I placed an executive to help one client navigate through Chapter 11. Regarding the other client, I placed an executive to help them avoid business failure. Regrettably, Senior Executives sometimes fail to heed sound advice. In each of these situations, failure was predictable. Management failed to adequately penetrate their home markets before moving into new territory.
I’ve witnessed the results of many crazy decisions during my career. Some noteworthy situations include an ice cream brand selling franchises beyond their distribution capabilities. Or a California-based brand that tried to move into the Southeast with a single location. I’ve seen Southeastern brands sell franchises on the West Coast, thousands of miles beyond their management reach and distribution network. A Northern barbecue chain leap-frogged into Georgia with a few restaurants placed across the state. That decision was funny, in a sad way, as barbecue has a distinct regional appeal. Another brand added drive-throughs to dogs with the hope of turning them into profitable restaurants. Sadly, they created dogs with a drive-through. From my perspective, the most egregious yet consistent mistake is the urge for start-ups to enter new markets before adequately penetrating their home base. To be sure, many of those mistakes were made by rookies, entrepreneurs lacking experience or solid advice. However, these mistakes continue to be made by experienced leaders who should know better.
I can speak with authority on this subject as I spent most of my career working on retail expansion. I began my career as a financial analyst assigned to the new store development group. In this role, I performed analytical work on capital expenditures for new stores and other investments. I learned how to evaluate the prospects for a new store, and the penetration required to optimize the return from a larger market, i.e. city, SMSA, or region. I became a strategic analyst and planner shaping retail store development strategy for several national brands. Finally, I held general management positions where I was accountable for return on investment. In fact, one of my first assignments as a senior executive was to identify and prioritize markets for focused development. As a result, I am confident in my ability to build a retail brand, especially, food-service brands. I appreciate the value of achieving significant market share before developing new markets. Believe me, engaging in the development of a new market, before adequately developing a home market can be fatal to a business, especially so for a start-up.
So, if significant penetration of a home market is fundamental for success, why does management continue to violate this well-established rule? Over the years, I have asked this question of countless CEOs, CFOs, and Chief Development Officers. The only consistent response is “sometimes, management becomes so enamored of expansion that sound business practices are ignored.” Imagine, human emotions getting the better of Senior Executives. Who knew? The only solution is to hire accomplished retail development executives, among others, who won’t hesitate to tell the “Emperor that he has no clothes.”