There is an article in the Columbus Ohio Business First (Vol. 27, No. 1) this week about Hyundai adding a luxury line to their offerings. A local dealer (Ricart) is spending big bucks to upgrade their facility to meet the needs of potential customers of the Hyundai Equus, their new luxury vehicle.

In the article, Rhett Ricart, the Ricart CEO is quoted as saying “they (customers) don’t even know what rear-end kissing is” and “no one’s had their rear end kissed like this.”

I found the article very interesting. In this shaky economy it seems a large bet to make on a high end vehicle. While others are discontinuing their luxury vehicles. Hyundai and Ricart are wagering on a steady customer base for the Equus.

My blog however is not about the car, but the comment Ricart made about “rear end kissing”. I wondered if the commitment to serious rear end kissing will provide the dealer with a competitive advantage. Is serious rear end kissing somehow different than other customer service? Does that come with the territory of the high dollars associated with the Equus and the door to door service that Ricart and its sales team will provide to prospective customers?

It is true that the dollars associated with the potential sale probably warrant the rear end kissing in the eyes of the seller and buyer. But what about everyone else? Is it too much to ask for some serious rear end kissing in our every day transactions? Imagine going to the local grocery store and the clerks greet you warmly by name. Imagine your surprise when the oil change guy compliments you on the outfit you are wearing. Wow, what if the fast food folks noticed that you order the same thing every time you walk in, greet you and ask if you want the usual? Aren’t those the places you want to visit over and over? The ones that made you feel just a little more special.

On “Undercover Boss” last night, the COO of Waste Management (WM) performed entry level jobs incognito to learn about the company. The man was obviously passionate about taking better care of his teams and ultimately his customers. One of the most poignant scenes were the COO’s tears at a letter a customer had written to the WM employee who picked up her trash on a weekly basis. Wow, what a special person that WM associate had to be in order to get a thank you note from a customer! Now that is SERVICE. When was the last time you thanked your trash person?

Customer Service as many of you know is my passion. Those organizations, that truly put customers and the employees who interact with them first, all reap the rewards of the strong relationship. Granted these organizations seem to be getting fewer and fewer. The ones that get it though, have demonstrated in their profitability the value of the outstanding and memorable service they provide.

Not all customers deserve nor expect serious rear-end kissing. That is not what I am suggesting. As customers we do however appreciate being treated with respect and recognized for our support of the business. As a matter of fact, the majority of us will happily accept the latter.

As service providers (and we all are) perhaps it is time for a little introspection. Are you focusing, truly focusing on taking care of your employees so they can take care of their customers? Are you recognizing and respecting your customers? Do you really understand the acquisition costs of a new customer? Are you doing your best to retain the customers you do have? Are you listening to your customers and thanking them for their business? Are you meeting the needs of your customer and creating sustainability for your organization? What have you done lately to show a customer you cared?

I’ve recently teamed up with Gemstone Partners Inc. An amazing group of people dedicated to common sense solutions for business. We bring a unique perspective and collaborative approach to solving today’s business challenges. Please check us out on http://www.gemstonepartnersinc.com

Thank you for reading!

Julie

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