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FROM THE THE EDITOR EDITOR FROM p P Valerie Valerie Cog nevi ch Cognevich Editor Editor If your your customers custoiners only only If told you you what ~hat they they think think told eople are just not nice anymore. I know that's an eople are just not nice anymore. I know that's an awfulassessment, assessment,but butI've I'vehad hadseveral severalencounters encounters awful with people who make me think that. Areyou you with people who make me think that. Are ready? My first experience happened with an inready? My first experience happened with an innocent enough visit to K-Mart during lunchtime nocent enough visit to K-Mart during lunchtime to pick up things like soap powder, makeup, pato pick up things like soap powder, makeup, paper towels, and an assortment of other mustper towels, and an assortment of other musthavesfor forhome. home. haves After stuffing my my shopping shopping cart, cart, I I entered entered After stuffing check-out limbo. You know the drill-40 checkcheck-out limbo. You know the drill-40 checkout lanes, two actually open. I went to customer out lanes, two actually open. I went to customer service and asked whether they service and asked whether they rustle up up another anoth er cashier, cashier, could rustle could since the lines were beginning to since the lines were beginning to meander into the clothing departmeander into the clothing departThecustomer customerservice servicereprereprement. The ment. looked at me like was sentative sentative looked at me like II was crazy and huffed that it was simply crazy and huffed that it was simply notpossible. possible. Of Ofcourse, course, IIcouldn't couldn't not help but notice all those employees help but notice all those employees hanging new merchandise and hanging new merchandise and straightening up the old. I ended up straightening up the old. I ended up abandoning my basket filled with abandoning my basket filled with all the things I needed and walked all the things I needed and walked out empty handed. That woman out empty handed. That woman was justnot notnice. nice. was just The next morningmy my son's son's car car The next morning needed to be towed to the repair needed to be towed to the repair thetowing towingcompacompashop,so soIIcalled calledthe shop, ny recommended by my insurance ny recommended by my insurance company. Knowing I needed to get company. Knowing I needed to get to the office, I called around 7 a.m. and they conto the office, I called around 7 a.m. and they confirmedthey'd they'dbe beatatmy myhouse houseby by88a.m a.m.-perfect. firmed .- perfect. II waited as 8 a.m.came and went, 8:30, andthen then waited as 8 a.m.came and went, 8:30, and 9. I called and they told me it would be another 9. I called and they told me it would be another hour,atatleast. least."One "Oneof ofour ourdrivers driversdidn't didn'tshow showup up hour, so we're running late." I asked if he knew that so we're running late." I asked if he knew that when I called originally, and he said he did but when I called originally, and he said he did but occurtotohim himtototell tellme. me.But ButI've I'vebeen been that didn'toccur that ititdidn't hours, I exclaimed. He waiting now over two waiting now over two hours, I exclaimed. He couldn't have cared less how long I had to wait. couldn't have cared less how long I had to wait. Asititturned turnedout outI Isimply simplycalled calledanother anothertowing towing As company that got there before the original one. I company that got there before the original one. I guess they were hopping mad when they finally guess they were hopping mad when they finally got there and I wasn't home. My neighbor told me got there and I wasn't home. My neighbor told me they arrived promptly at 11 a.m.! They weren't they arrived promptly at 11 a.m .! They weren't nice at all. nice at all. Buying a hamburger in a fast food drive thru Buying a hamburger in a fast food drive thru is enough to raise your blood pressure. There's is enough to raise your blood pressure. There's the person mumbling for your order who can't be the person mumbling for your order who can't be understood, and forget about receiving even a understood, and forget about receiving even a hintof ofaasmile smilefor foryour yourbusiness businessmuch muchless lessaanapnaphint kin in your bag. I took a store I loved off my list kin in your bag. I took a store I loved off my list after the fourth or fifth K-Mart-type incidentimafter the fourth or fifth K-Mart-type incident-im- possibletotocheck checkout. out.This Thiswas wassosobad badthat thatthere there possible were NO checkouts open; they simply did it at the were NO checkouts open; they simply did it at the customer service counter in between helping customer service counter in between helping customers bringing merchandise back. What an customers bringing merchandise back. What an absurdway waytotolose losecustomers! customers! absurd Shortly after I began feelthat thatpeople peoplewere were Shortly after I began totofeel just not nice anymore, I saw a program that highjust not nice anymore, I saw a program that highlighted a growing phenomenon so intense it has a lighted a growing phenomenon so intense it has a name-road rage. In a nutshell, it explained that name-road rage. In a nutshell, it explained that killsomeone someone peopleare arenow nowwilling willingtotoactually actuallykill people over an improper lane change. I've seen it played over an improper lane change. I've seen it played out on interstates and it's frightening. Angry out on interstates and it's frightening. Angry drivers are antagonized by people wanting to see drivers are antagonized by people wanting to see how far they can provoke that driver. What is this how far they can provoke that driver. What is this saying about our society? Murder for road rights? saying about our society? Murder for road rights? it? It'sscary, scary,isn't isn'tit? It's also isis that that the the concept concept of ofcuscusOutrageous Outrageous also tomer service is apparently not being addressed tomer service is apparently not being addressed like it should be. In a recent issue, several of our like it should be. In a recent issue, several of our contributors brought up the importance of cuscontributors brought up the importance of cusentertainmentcenters. centers. tomerservice serviceininfamily family entertainment tomer They emphasized that the customer is the most They emphasized that the customer is the most important asset a business can have, and the important asset a business can have, and the onepriority prioritymust mustbe bekeeping keepingthem themhaphapnumberone number py. It seems so simple, so elementary my dear py. It seems so simple, so elementary my dear Watsonthat thatyou youmay mayconsider consideritittoo toocondescendcondescendWatson ing to mention. ing to mention. But our industry is no different than others. But our industry is no different than others. Weneed needour ourcustomers. customers.We Wewant wantthem themtotocome come We back. Even the greatest games and well appointback. Even the greatest games and well appointed atmosphere will not draw them back if they ed atmosphere will not draw them back if they are not nottreated treatedlike likeyour yourbusiness businessdepends depends on on are them. Like Mike Macke of Cadillac Jack said, "I've them. Like Mike Macke of Cadillac Jack said, "I've been around this industry long enough to know been around this industry long enough to know that if you don't take care of your customers, you that if you don't take care of your customers, you won't have any customers." At the grocery store I won't have any customers." At the grocery store I observed this sign on the door of the office, "Treat observed this sign on the door of the office, "Treat every customer with respect. They are the only every customer with respect. They are the only reason we are here." reason we are here." want to to go go places places where where people people are are nice. nice. II IIwant want to be nice to everyone I meet. I know it's want to be nice to everyone I meet. I know it's wishful thinking. But somewhere out there I just wishful thinking. But somewhere out there I just know I can buy soap powder and mascara and know I can buy soap powder and mascara and not have to wait in line so long I finally decide it's not have to wait in line so long I finally decide it's not worth it. Don't you want to be around nice not worth it. Don't you want to be around nice youhave havetotogo gosomewhere somewhereelse elsebesides besides people?IfIfyou people? then it's time to make some your own location, your own location, then it's time to make some changes.A .A. changes. We want to hear from you about any of the articles in this issue or topics you 's like to see. Phone: 504/488-7003; FAX: We want to hear from you about any of the articles in this issue or topics you's like to see. Phone: 504/488-7003; FAX: 504/488-7083; e-mail: (news@playmeter.com). 504/488-7083; e-mail: (news@playmeter.com). PLAYMETER METER PLAY 10 10 AUGUST1998 1998 AUGUST