A story broke last week about the customer backlash against Maker’s Mark after the bourbon maker announced that, in order to stretch its supply to meet global demand, it had begun diluting its bourbon—reducing the alcohol content from 90 proof to 84 proof. It turns out that bourbon shortages are
Last Saturday night, my 12-year-old son requested an order of cheese quesadillas for dinner at the Yard House restaurant in Lone Tree, Colorado. (You should know that, at this particular location, cheese quesadillas do not appear on the menu.) What the server did next was not legendary but it was
Have you ever heard someone in a committed relationship say that he or she no longer loves the other person? When questioned, he might say, “I’ve tried. Really I have. But the love just isn’t there.” It’s no wonder the love isn’t there—because love (the noun) is a result of
Note to reader: Even I’m tired of reading about Nordstrom’s customer service, but there’s a reason its service is heralded. I recently stopped by the baby department at Nordstrom to pick up a gift for a colleague whose wife is expecting a baby boy. After considering the selection of newborn
Yesterday, I brought merchandise returns from two different departments into Nordstrom. I entered the north entrance of the store on the second level and approached the nearest salesperson, Stacy, asking, “I have a couple of returns, including an online return. Should I take them to Customer Service on the third
Much is said about a company’s responsibility to create an environment that fosters an engaged workforce, one in which employees are fully involved and enthusiastic. And while it’s true that employers should treat their employees fairly, provide them with achievement opportunities, recognize their contributions, and promote cooperative relations with others,
The other day I went through the line at my local supermarket with, among other items, an open bag of potato chips. (Potato chips weren’t even on my shopping list but they looked so good and salty on the end-cap display, I just couldn’t resist.) After scanning the bag of
John Wooden, the legendary former UCLA basketball coach, said, “Don’t confuse activity with achievement.” This insightful quote reminds me of the common misunderstanding plaguing service industry employees (management and non-management) everywhere: they confuse activity (executing job function) with excellence (demonstrating job essence). So many managers race to their superiors with
While directing the 1956 epic film The Ten Commandments, Cecil B. DeMille challenged a large group of extras portraying the Israelites to energize their performance, shouting, “Alright now. Give me everything you’ve got people! Don’t be extras. Be a nation!” DeMille’s exhortation of the extras reminds me of the ongoing
The Revelation Conversation is Here!
