Meeting (or exceeding) expectations

Apparently, this is the busy season for the Hamptons (from recent article in NYT).

As the New Yorkers start flooding to their summer retreat, they bring not only stress to the county, but also new expectations.

Although this is something that I would imagine has happened every summer, the locals seem to still be shocked by the NYer's added needs. "They're a little more demanding" said one spa owner, "they show up 15 minutes late and expect to be taken care of right away."

I'm sorry, but these store owners need to get with it. Have they considered this is a way of life that is created and cultivated by the culture in NY? That it is reinforced each and every day one lives in such a hustle, bustle city? Where each day is jam-packed with to-dos? And the focus isn't on what time you arrive but IF you arrive?

Obviously not, because if they had, they would have long ago learned to not take these actions as rude or abrasive. Just an extension of the life their customers were leaving a couple hours behind.

So often businesses forget to actually figure out where their customers meet them at. What expectations and feelings they have about the business' brand and how they want to interact with it.

Figure this out and you'll have happier customers... and less summer stress. -Reed

Comments

[G]

I think this is a big issue, especially when you are looking at the issue of product knowledge...employees that treat customers like idiots, thieves, and slackers are a dying breed. It's important for a company to push the issue of employee empathy in all respects.