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LockedCurrent Sears Employee Attitudes

posted on November 21, 2009 at 10:28PM Inappropriate?
My answer in repsonse to a Sears employee explaining that a new customer is to be treated the same as a 25+ year customer. I hope all the long-term loyal Sears customers and someone in upper management read this one: "That sounds good if you're a new customer, not so good to a faithful customer of 25 + years. Every customer should be treated fairly...that's a given. It's not the level of service I am disagreeing with you on, it's the level of respect and attention. That is, repeat customers, those who long ago made and kept the company a going concern, through good times and bad, and who made it possible for you to obtain gainful employment before you were probably born, should be treated as an uncle or father in the Sears family. I'm not talking about playing favorites, rather about longtime customer respect and loyalty. Long-term, repeat business is the lifeblood of a retailer; that's a reality in life. The $25,000 spent years ago is worth far more then $50,000 today, due to the time value of money and going concern concepts. Loyalty is a quality that cannot be exerted from a brand new customer; the new customer deserves excellent service, which in turn will make them a long-term repeat buyer who will then expect and deserve your loyalty, just as you will deserve theirs. It's a symbiotic relationship. Get it? If not, read up on Customer Relationship Managment, Peter Drucker, and Michael Porter (Harvard Business School: Five Forces Model, Competitive Advantage, Competitive Convergence, Efficiency Frontier). I have."
replies: 6 latest post: November 25, 2009 at 03:41PM by MikeyRocks
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posted on November 22, 2009 at 09:55PM
 

I'm not sure how this differential treatment would be accomplished.

Unless one registers a profile on the Internet site, EVERYONE is a first timer.

And, in the stores, how would the Sales Staff be able to recognize an established Customer versus a new potential Customer.

And, since it takes only seconds to lose either category of Customer, how should a sales associate treat each type of Customer.

Respect is given to ANYONE taking the time to come to the store.

I'm not sure a differential treatment would be "legal", either.

Anyone, needing a tool, is deserving of my best service and I always attempt to give it to each Customer.

posted on November 23, 2009 at 06:17AM
 

I don't know about on the sales floor, but I do know that there are notes in the computer in the repair service side of the house that a customer is a "premier customer."

posted on November 23, 2009 at 07:29AM
 
In response to SHC-StephenC's post from November 23 2009 06:17AM

is that what they slap on someones CC account if they can manage to pay on time for 6 months

posted on November 23, 2009 at 08:25AM
 
In response to GDB1024's post from November 21 2009 10:28PM

What you didn't hear is that they treat everyone like a 25 year customer. If you were a 25 year pain-in-the-arse they would know you. Welcome to this community....where you will be treated the same as....Tiger Woods?

posted on November 25, 2009 at 03:40PM
 

GDB1024, I agree that long term customers deserve respect. But I'm not so sure about the more respect thing. If I'm talking to a sears associate and somebody else shows up whose shopped longer at Sears at me, the last thing I want the associate to do is to stop servicing me and tell me that since the other person's been shopping here longer he's going to talk to that person first. That's no way to convert new shoppers to long term ones. I do think long term customers should be rewarded...maybe some sort of rewards program ( think they already have a sears card program)

posted on November 25, 2009 at 03:41PM
 

GDB1024, gotta say I love your profile pic :)

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