Don Cohen
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Don Cohen commented on How Do Companies Simultaneously Cut Costs and Add Services? on August 30, 2009, 7:16 PM
Ms. Mesler is right on the mark here. These days we are all tightening our belts. I never, ever cut back on my customer service. I cut my own take home pay from the profits of my restaurant. I just had a cashier retire after ten years with me and now my wife is working here again. Little extras like either my wife or myself making a point to stop by each table for a minute to greet our diners make a huge difference- they keep coming back. As far as my employees go, I've added health coverage and my turn over rate has plummeted- customers like to see the same faces when they come in and get the better service a happy experienced employee gives them.
Don Cohen commented on What is Behavioral Economics? on August 30, 2009, 7:33 PM
Most of the behavior I see in my business is rational. When a customer gets bad service they complain and I try to make them happy somehow. One thing that I've learned to do when a customer is being irrational is to never argue with them. I always validate their emotions. For example in my deli i will say "I'd be mad if my french fries were cold too" and I take care of the problem even if they are screaming at me. It immediately causes their guard to go down and they remain a happy customer. Most irrational people will respond if you refrain from counterattacks and accept their version of reality. I try to keep a check on my own rationality by not letting every thought I have come out in the form of a spoken word or a quick reaction- I'm successful about 90% of the time.