More Bang for my Bucks

With all the gloom and doom at present about global financial crises, high food prices, local financial crises, high inflation, high interest rates, load shedding, potential water crisis, Zimbabwe elections and high petrol prices I have found myself getting a bit miffed at spending good money on mediocre or bad service and receiving sometimes downright bad attitude from cashiers at the local supermarket.

And whilst we have the whole litany of doom and gloom items (see above and add your own), isn’t this the time to work on service and create a customer experience that delights.

People still have money to spend and it is not the restaurant or clothing store down the road that is the competition – it is actually the doom and gloom items like high interest and inflation rates that is the competition. Our restaurants and stores need to understand this and keep me coming back by making me feel that my money is well spent. I want to feel that I am a valued customer, I am getting value for money and I am getting good service.

I want more bang for my bucks.

Epiphany

Epiphany :[e·piph·a·ny - n. a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.]

I stole this “epiphany heading” from my daughter’s blog – thank you Lisa! (http://www.adventurelisa.blogspot.com/)

One of the books I took the other week from my book club stash was “The monk who sold his Ferrari” by Robin S Sharma.

Years ago, I briefly saw Robin on a talk show, and was impressed by how nice he looked and how he almost glowed with good health and well being. I have also heard the monk book mentioned on various talk radio shows and seem to remember it hitting some best seller lists.

When I saw it I took it. And around about page 67 I was wondering if I would ever finish it. I was a tad irritated with the story he wove to demonstrate his message and I was a bit disappointed with the message – I mean this guy is a guru and going by his track record he is hugely successful and has an enormous following. All I could think of was “yeah, yeah, yeah – heard all this before, I know this stuff, what’s new” and so on and so on…….

And a few days later, determined to finish the book, I had the epiphany – I did know all this stuff but why the heck wasn’t I doing it? Good question? Because like it or not, this stuff really works and we all know people who constantly apply it and do exceptionally well!

So, what I would like to recommend, is that you read this book – it is a great refresher course on how to live your personal and business life and the lessons are woven into a charming story. My friend Chris told me he doesn’t do that “touchy feely stuff” and if you don’t either – put the story to one side and re-study the lessons contained in the book.

We all know it, we just have to practise it.