Airlines and other large corporations have gotten a bad rap over the past 20 years or so.
Excessive fees, rates, and lack of service are common complaints, yet they choose to continue to talk about their standards of quality and attention to customer's needs. My experience in general has shown me that this attention to service can be exaggerated to say the least, although occasionally you will find an employee that will go above and beyond.
However, the area they do go above and beyond is first class. Of the few times I have been lucky enough to receive an upgrade, or be able to purchase a discounted fare, I noticed the substantially different treatment between the "classes".
Anyway, since you and I encounter large corporations daily, and on a frequent basis, wouldn't you think that their goal would be to provide an overall better experience for the "common" customer? I am not complaining or referencing any particular instance, but my overall impression of large corporations goes along with the herd mentality. "Move along, don't make noise, and everything will be OK!"
That then got me thinking about the small businesses that make up the backbone of this country. These business usually have less than 100 employees, and service is all they have to separate themselves from their competition. The "mom and pops" depend on a positive customer experience for 2 main reasons:
1. Staying in Business:
Treat customers poorly and they don't come back. Period.
2. Competing with the big boys:
Many small businesses compete at some level with major corporations. If they can't stay at a comptitive price point, and provide great service, it's extremely hard to develop a customer base that is loyal.
II have been self employed for 11 years now, and if I treated my customers with the attitude that is commonplace at some of the larger corporations, I would have been looking for a new job long ago.
Does this mean that every one of my customers is and always has been completely satisfied with my service? I would be lying if I told you yes. It is impossible to please everyone, and anyone who tells you they have a 100% satisfaction rating is lying. Sorry if that offends you, but it's the truth.
My point is, there are lots of choices out there for any good or service that you need for your business. Most of the time the larger corporations can provide it for cheaper, but at the end of the day, it should be about the customer experience. You should be excited to work with a company, not dread interacting with them.
Do you want to be just another faceless customer in the books of some large corporation, or would you rather work with a company that cares about your success, and values your business.
