I’ve decided that I’m one of about five people left in the world who does not have a cell phone. I’d like to change that, but given my latest excursion to search out the best deal, I might not.
In many cases, I’m all for using employees to showcase a business’ wares. When I go shopping for clothes – a rare occurrence – I always check out what the salespeople are wearing, because more often than not, they’re wearing something that I can find in the store and try on.
But that’s really not a good practice for employees at cell phone counters. Sure, they should probably use the service they sell so that they can answer questions about it, but they shouldn’t use it when someone (me) is waiting at the counter for help.
You know, it’s odd. Customer service – or the lack of it – is a common topic in our pages. But apparently, the people who should be reading about better customer service, a.k.a. the front-line staffers, are reading something else.
On a recent Saturday morning, with two of my three kids in tow, I stopped at a cellular counter during a shopping excursion to Wal-Mart. The girl behind the counter was getting ready to make a call just as my cart came to a stop inches from her counter. I made eye contact, and she did smile and say, “Hi.”
So I stayed where I was, expecting that she’d put the phone down and answer my questions. She didn’t. I thought perhaps she had some sort of emergency, so I waited and listened to one side of her conversation about her plans for the evening.
I even tapped on the counter and bent to look closely at the display of cell phones, but no luck. Apparently, her plans took precedence over a potential customer – one that she lost, by the way, because I won’t go back there. Finally, I looked at my kids and said, loudly, “Well, I guess Mom doesn’t need a cell phone today after all.”
Truth be told, I hadn’t planned on buying into a plan that very day, but if the deal had been good enough, I would have. And she’d have made a sale, which, I suspect, is her job. Now, we’ll never know, I suppose.
On the other hand, I’ve also run across someone in the cellular phone industry who clearly recognizes the value of treating every potential customer like they’re prepared to write a check the day you meet them.
I recently met a salesman for another cellular company at a local event. We visited for a few minutes, had a good laugh about my not having a cell phone and talked about business in general.
When I asked him what plans his company had, he first apologized for being fairly new to the company and still learning, and then answered the questions I had as best he could. Some of my questions about coverage areas and such made it necessary for him to return to his office and check on some plan specifics.
He took my name and number, gave me his business card and promised to follow up once he had the answers I needed. And he kept that promise.
It turns out that what he’s got in my price range isn’t quite what I’m looking for. But it’s darn close, and based on his customer service alone, I’m mightily tempted to give him my business.
Because it’s not just about the price that will be on my monthly bills, it’s also about the way I’m made to feel as a customer during the selection process.
Resolution update
I’ve been putting this off for as long as possible, but I guess it’s time to ‘fess up. Some time ago, I wrote of my goals to improve my health via diet and exercise and to rid my medicine cabinet of some of the bottles that bear my name. Sadly, I seem to have failed in my efforts, but I’m not giving up.
I quit exercising for all the wrong reasons – the facility was too far away, it took time away from my family, I could exercise by walking for free, etc. The problem is that when I don’t feel good, as is the case when my blood pressure is off or I’ve eaten too much sugar, I sleep. So my family wasn’t really getting any more of my time.
And, yes, walking in my neighborhood is free, but I can count on one hand, without lifting a finger, how many times I’ve actually gone for a brisk walk. The long drive was just an excuse, particularly since the facility I belong to has other locations throughout Springfield, including one that’s three miles – and five minutes – from my house.
Because I still have a monthly contract in place, I’ve begun to go regularly again. I feel better, too. Other motivation came recently from the mouth of my 8-year-old son, who, after his physical education program featuring jump-rope tricks, refused to believe that good old Mom was capable of such a feat. When I insisted that yes, I could, his argument was, “No, you can’t, because you’re too wide!” Ouch.
He’s getting to the age where such blunt honesty is no longer considered cute or funny. But it drove home to me the way that I’m perceived by my child. Motivation, indeed.
For the record, though, once we got home, I demonstrated that, wide as I am, I could still take a turn or two with the jump rope.
In any case, perhaps I’ll have some news worth sharing soon on the resolution front. Only time, and continued effort on my part, will tell. Maria Hoover is SBJ Inside Business editor.
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