The Power Of Thank YOu!!

[sixdogsmom]

This should probably be under Soap Box, however there is another thread going on there right now. This is pretty important for not only young people but all people, and people in Elk County in particular.

One day this past week, I spent money at three different places here in Elk County. Almost $100.00 was spent in total, but I was not told thank you at any one of the three stops I made. Not all three were retail establishments; one was retail, one was service related, and one was public service related. Now, I may be mistaken, but I suspect that times may be going to get pretty tough. Making a customer, consumer, or patron feel appreciated is the one thing that can be done that is one thousand times cost effective! The cost to the provider is nothing, and the return can be thousand fold. It is a shame that folks don't shop Elk County more; but this may be a contributing factor. The retail establishment I visited was a perfect object lesson. I was not greeted upon entering the store, although there were several employees busily gossiping at the entrance. When being checked out, There was no eye contact or greeting or inquiry as to finding needs since the checker was too busy in a gab session. Credit or debit? were the only words spoken to me the entire time. I am not likely to return anytime soon. You are so right; you probably do not know me, so it won't filter down through the community how you treated a customer. Do you treat all customers in this manner? or only folks you do not know personally?

Now there are exceptions to this rule. In particular two retail establishments come to mind; the Pick and Pay (I think that is the name), in Howard are exceptionally nice. You are always greeted by not only the cashier, but but each employee you see in the store. Also Mills Feed Store in Moline always make you feel like your purchase has just made their day! I cannot imagine not being thanked for patronizing these two establishments.

Folks who are in the service industry just do not seem to realize that your dollars pay their wages. That's it , in a nutshell. Sorry, but when  my hard earned dollars go to pay taxes, water bill, doctor bill, vet, or whatever, the person dealing with me should show some kind of appreciation.

Okay, off this soapbox now. I've been waiting all week to post this, hoping to get cooled off first. 

[Wilma]

You are right.  I have noticed this, too and even though I am sure that they know who I am I don't feel as though they are particularly glad to see me come in.  And they don't even seem to be able to make an observation about the weather.  I may not have anything to visit with them about, but I do pay my bills, which pays their wages.

[sixdogsmom]

That's just too bad!  Well let me say here, Thank YOU!!! Thank you for shopping here in Elk County! Thank You for paying your bills! ( That makes it easier for the rest of us!).

Attention All Managers!! We have two people here who have not been treated well in the establishment that YOU are responsible for! WHAT are you going to do about it??

[Joanna]

Wow!  I do want to add "Thank You" for shopping in Elk County. 

I've not had the same experiences as you though; seems like most places I go people do greet me and say "thank you" when I leave.  Oh, I don't mean that there's not the occasional time when you can tell the clerk is having a bad day, but overall the atmosphere here is a pleasant one for me.  I do think that people get into the habit of general politeness, or lack of it.  When I have noticed a lack of enthusiasm or eye contact, it is usually a teen and I assume they just haven't been taught right yet...

As you said, maybe the managers of these businesses do need to work with their employees; maybe the managers need to work on it in themselves.  At any rate, I'll be more aware of offering a cheery "Hello" if I go in places that don't greet me first... Maybe that will spur some deep memory of those magic words "Please" and "Thank You!"

[Wilma]

Now I am not hard to get along with or unpleasant to wait on nor do I make unreasonable demands.  I only expect friendly courtesy where I am shopping and it is possible even if the shopper is not a personal friend or acquaintance.  One of my favorite clerks was the clerk in the pharmacy at the Derby Wal-Mart.  Not only did she not have any idea of who I was or what I did, she had never seen me before she became the clerk at the pharmacy.  Yet, she learned my name, always called me by it and asked about how I was and how my husband was doing.  Actually, she called me Mrs. Weyrauch.  Now this might make some people feel old but it reminded me of when I was much younger and my daughters' friends always called me Mrs. Weyrauch.  That is until they grew up.  She wasn't the only clerk at that store that treated us like special customers.  There was only one of them still there the last time I was and she remembered me.  Now if clerks in a big Wal-Mart can remember customers, I would think that clerks in stores in small towns would find it even easier.  It is even more important that strangers be treated in a friendly manner as they might turn out to be the store's best customer.  I try to buy as much locally as possible, but everyone has to admit that you have to go to a bigger town for some things. 

Here is a piece of advice for everyone.  If you are in a position of serving the public it is part of your job to make that customer want to come back, no matter who that customer might be, what you might think of that customer or what your personal feelings are at the time.  You are not the most important person in the establishment.  Your customer is.

[sixdogsmom]

Well said! Thank you for your response! It is a matter of training, and even if it is teen-agers, (the folks I mentioned were not teen-agers), it is a managers' position to expect certain standards from the folks who represent their establishment, be it store, public office or medical establishment etc, etc. Maybe my standards are too high? Perhaps folks expect to receive treatment like they and the people that they deal with are losers? Bad attitude! That is the problem! My dollars are the best that I can produce. Therefore I expect to be treated with the best that can be offered! I am not difficult to please. Just treat me like a human and I will be more than happy! A little eye contact and a thank you would have been enough.

[flo]

I can honestly say that I have shopped in most all of the establishments in Howard and done business with the Courthouse, city office and other organizations.  I have yet to be treated like I was a stranger.  Course I am one to crack a smart-ass remark once in awhile and usually get one back.  To get a smile, give a smile.  Very very few times have I not been told thank you and have a good day.  This brings to mind something that happened when I worked at the Co-op in Severy.  After waiting on a customer, I told him thank you and have a good day.  Know what he said?  "Don't tell me what kind of day to have ! " - I looked at him, he looked at me and we both laughed.  AFter that I would tell him thank you and "I don't care what kind of day you have" - We still laughed 

[Teresa]

Flo.. you and I have the same work ethics.. Make everyone smile and laugh.
When I was in the hardware store everyday , people would tell me that they loved to come in there cause I was always smiling and ready to give them hell about something.. ( always in fun though)
I spared no one either.. 
For the most part, I liked working with the public, and I love making people smile and giving them a few minutes of my entertainment .. I tried always to tell them thank you .. if I didn't, it was an oversight or my mistake.

Sixdogsmom... If The hardware store was one of those places that didn't tell you thank you.. I will personally talk with them about it.
Not to make excuses ( because there is no excuse for bad manners... but I know that Mark and Derek are overloaded most of the time and very stressed trying to be "multi task" ( men are NOT multi -task)  what with the gun business..and the work in the back plus all the ordering etc. I do all the bookwork for the most part, but they both stress out easily. I am sorry if either of them were part of the ones who didn't thank you. They really do so much on a personal level with people and if anyone needs anything fixed or figured out.. they know that Mark and Derek Cookson are the ones to go to. I don;'t think that there is nothing that those 2 can't do.
They usually are so very good about smiling and being extra  helpful and appreciative.  I know that they DO appreciate everyone who takes the time to shop at home in the store. Mark and Derek both do 90% of their shopping at home, and they more than appreciate everyone's business. So I hope you were treated with respect when you went in there.

But again.. let me know if I need to and I will jog their memory about the importance of "Thank Yous"..

[DanCookson]

I think the adage of "you never get a second chance to make a first impression" applies here.  I shop in every business in Howard every day.  I don't shop out of town unless I need clothes and then my wife buys them for me or I order them online.  I have heard hello and thank you from everyone in town.  Maybe not every single time I am there, but as a rule many more times than not.  I also get asked every single time I go to the local grocery store whether I would like help with my bags!!  I am 6'2" and 300 lbs.  The gesture is great, but I think I can get it!!!  It is nice they ask, and everytime I walk up the street I see them helping folks out to their cars with groceries. 

Small business are often overworked and understaffed or not staffed with employees that get a lot of training.  I am sad that you and Wilma had the experiences you had and hope you will give all three business another try.  I think you will see in the long term, all will provide you a pleasant and helpful shopping experience.

I will go a step further in this and tell you if you have a question or a problem you need help with you had better stick to shopping in Howard.  If you have a hardware or fix it question, ask Mark or Derek Cookson and they help you for free.  Have an automotive question, ask Dan Signer or Bill Lanning and they will answer it for free.  Have a question on medicine or what to use for an ache or pain, ask Julie Perkins and she will answer it for free.  Have a banking question, look up Richard Fish....guess what, FREE.  These are just a few examples of every single business person in town that is willing to go out of their way to help and solve problems. 

Try that at Wal-Mart.  Hell, I am in Wichita as I type this.  I think I will go to Wal-Mart and ask them to carry out my bags!(If I can find anything I want to buy)

DC

[Joanna]

Now I am not hard to get along with or unpleasant to wait on nor do I make unreasonable demands.  I only expect friendly courtesy where I am shopping ...     If you are in a position of serving the public it is part of your job to make that customer want to come back, no matter who that customer might be, what you might think of that customer or what your personal feelings are at the time...

Wilma, I can't imagine that you are a 'difficult' customer in any way and the same for sixdogsmom ~ I sure didn't mean to imply that! Just letting you know that I hadn't had the same experience as you did. The places I've been did seem genuinely happy to have me there, even times that I didn't find something to spend money on.

I agree with you about working with the public, and I do think that it is important for businesses to treat their customers very well. I know from personal experience that people who are treated well are generally happy and will return to your place; people who think they were treated poorly will not only tell their friends, they'll tell them over and over and over.  It's part of a manager's job to be sure the employees are treating the customers well and a very big part of that is common courtesy.  I hope you do give it another try here and that the next trip is friendlier!