Customer Disservice

The Dip by Seth Godin is about being the best. The Dip is the point you arrive at and have to determine if your effort is worth the return investment.

In 1987, my family took a trip to Wisconsin. We went over to watch the Tigers play the Brewers. We also watched the Rangers play the Brewers. It was a great experience for a 15-year-old kid. We returned a year later. In '87, though, we found a department store that we really liked. It was Kohl's. Years later, it arrived in Michigan. Kohl's, as it has grown, has weakened. But now, 20 minutes away from Vestaburg is a Kohl's right in Mt. Pleasant, Mich.

Last week, Lori, the girls, and I went shopping at the Rivertown Crossings in Grandville, Mich. I found some Haggar Q dress pants that I found to be quite comfortable. The Mt. Pleasant store didn't have them for some reason. I was disappointed.

As I checked out, the associate asked me if I found everything I was looking for. I said, "No actually. There were some Haggar Q pants that I found in Grandville and had hoped to get another pair here."

Her reply: "Oh."

Why not, "Well, let's see if we can find them for you." Or, "Can we order some for you?" Something more than "Oh." What a disappointment.



It's amazing that when we get appropriate service we consider it to be excellent. It's a sad state of affairs that when we get average we consider it to be the best we can receive. I re-read The Dip, listened to the audio version, and continue to talk about Seth's presentation to anyone who will listen.

Average is not good enough. Average is average. Right?