An inconvenient message

September 22, 2010

The other day at Kohl’s department store, I observed three separate customers pull into and then immediately back out of one of two parking spaces located near the store entrance. While both spaces were available, they had been reserved to accommodate the store’s Super Stars of the Month.

In each case, I watched as the shoppers who thought they had just landed coveted parking spots near the store entrance, had their expectations dashed as the affronting signage came into view. They then had to put their cars in reverse, back out, and go in search of alternate parking spaces.

I can think of many first impressions that Kohl’s would like its customers to have but disappointment, misfortune, and inconvenience aren’t on the list.

I’m all for employee rewards and recognition but incentives that have the potential to inconvenience customers, or in some other way negatively impact their experience, are misguided.

To me, this employee perk communicates to Kohl’s personnel that if they go out of their way to serve customers inside the store, then customers will go out of their way for them outside the store for the next thirty days or so…

And that’s not the sort of message you want to be sending to your employees—or your customers.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 at 12:12 pm and is filed under Customer Service, Employee Engagement, Enthusiasm at Work!. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • http://RestaurantWorx.com Jeffrey Summers

    I would just pull in anyway. And if asked why, I would respond with, “Since when are your customers not super stars?”

    In fact, I may take my daughter to Kohl’s tomorrow and do just that. Thanks for the idea Steve!

  • http://www.stevecurtin.com Steve

    Something tells me that Kohl’s security would simply say, “You go right ahead and park there Mr. Summers. And, if it’s not too much trouble, can you tweet something nice about us?” ; )

  • Number1pitcher17

    hey steve, only the people that make a difference in our store are rewarded superstar of the month. needless to say, we work EXTREMELY hard for the customers to have the best experience so becoming superstar of the month is a challenge in itself. not to mention, our designated parking spots are at the end of the parking lot. do i feel sorry that the customer has to take an extra 10 steps to enter our store? not ONE bit. we deserve the convenience, and im sure the customers appreciate our efforts as well.

  • http://stevecurtin.com Steve Curtin

    Thank you for taking the time to read and share your opinion. I once worked with a colleague who was fond of saying, “If we agreed on everything, then there wouldn’t be a need for one of us.”

    I’ve always appreciated this saying—probably because it gives me license to openly disagree with others…

    Point 1 in response to: “Our designated spots are at the end of the parking lot.”

    Not true. That wouldn’t serve the purpose of rewarding employees, would it? I can hear the manager now: “To recognize your outstanding performance, you’ve been awarded Super Star of the Month! Among other benefits, from today through the end of the month you can park in the designated Super Star parking spaces…located at the end of the parking lot.” And I can anticipate the employee’s response: “Um. Thanks a lot.” The designated Super Star parking spaces at the Arapahoe Crossing Kohl’s (Aurora, CO) are directly in front of the store entrance.

    Point #2 in response to: “Do I feel sorry that the customer has to take an extra 10 steps to enter our store?”

    Customers should not have to take an extra ten steps or any extra steps to spend their money at Kohl’s. Kohl’s priority should be to make the shopping experience for customers as seamless as possible. Extra steps (or any avoidable extra effort on the part of customers) should be eliminated. To its credit, Kohl’s has made the merchandise returns process seamless. Customers don’t even have to perform the “extra step” of locating a receipt—although I would move the customer service counter to the front of the store (as Target has done).

    Point #3 in response to: “Not ONE bit. We deserve the convenience”

    This is where you really expose your naivety. You deserve the convenience? Really? The only thing you deserve (assuming you meet its employment criteria) is an opportunity to apply for an open position at Kohl’s. That’s it. Beyond that, your comment reeks of entitlement. And employees who feel entitled are incapable of delivering the selfless customer service necessary to create delighted customers.

    Point #4 in response to: “I’m sure the customers appreciate our efforts as well.”

    Not as much as they appreciate their own convenience, safety, and cost savings. Don’t kid yourself.

    Seriously, if you really do work for Kohl’s, then you should consider spending more time on this blog and the blogs of other customer service enthusiasts. What you’ll find is that, once you release the “us versus them” thinking and acknowledge the true purpose of your role (to create delighted customers), you’ll really begin to make a difference—in the eyes of Kohl’s leadership and customers.

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