So, I just got done reading about James' Customer Service experience at Lowe's. And it's one of those rare - WOW experiences that gives you hope in humanity again.
Only, I start thinking - this wasn't Lowe's that got customer service (maybe it is - but I seriously doubt that very few big organizations in America even give a crap about customer service anymore) . No, this was James' Lowes that got it. In other words, Lowes is still, effectively, a franchise - so local business owners are able to run it their way. (Or, that's what I'm assuming.)
Put another way: I bet for James' one good story, there are probably a bunch of horror stories from other people at other instances of the same name-brand through out the US.
Which I think says some pretty good things about smaller businesses, and some pretty crappy things about larger/monolithic mega-corps. Smaller business are free-er to give a crap, and really want to deserve business. Mega-corps are driven by stock price, the board of directors, and when you buy from them, you just pray that it works out, or you end up like Brian - someone who counts himself lucky that he only got royally-screwed™ on a small-ticket item with a mega-corp.
Sadly, I'd go further and say that it was probably just Joe. Not even that store, although to be fair perhaps they have enlightened management that do encourage this type of service every morning. No way to know what's going on behindt he curtain.
But there was another guy in the same dept that seemed "grumpy" with customers. I told Joe at the time that I wouldn't have come back to see the other guy.
Posted by: James Shaw | October 23, 2005 at 04:47 AM