Many of you "young folks" probably don't remember the days when people used only the corner hardware store or the supermarket down the street or the record store on the corner to buy what you had a need or maybe just a hankering for. Now we have Super Walmart and Target, Home Depot and Lowes, grocery stores as big as movie theaters with everything from soup to the latest best sellers. There is a lot to be said for these places but every single time I go inside one I say the same thing to myself. "Goodness, what I wouldn't give for a store small enough and caring enough to offer something we don't have much anymore and that is SERVICE. With a smile even!"
These conglomerates have a good variety of products and the prices have to stay competitive and it can be fast (until you get to the check out counter) but why is there NEVER anyone to help you? Even if there were someone to answer a question, the answer is always the same: "If we have it Mam, it will be on the shelf." They don't know anything about the products and they could really care less if you get what you need as long as they get paid for working 8 hours that day. There are exceptions but you know for the most part it's true!
Something that makes me literally laugh out loud are the "Self Check out" counters where you don't need any people. OK, they are fast but if they don't need any people, why is it that so many of them are CLOSED???? This is hysterical. They should all be open shouldn't they? That is so bizarre!
This story does have a point. It has to do with service, experience and working with people who care. People who can recommend places for your hard earned vacations because they have been there and continue to go back-- People who will share experiences, information, photographs and their hard-earned knowledge from years and years in business.
HINT HINT
You are so entertaining...I laughed out loud three times while reading this one. You are the Erma Bombeck of travel, hahahaha.
Posted by: Sharri Moore, CTA DS | March 07, 2008 at 12:13 AM