Understanding your customer and responding to their needs I think is a fundamental part of running a business. Now the customer themselves might not always know their own needs (until you tell them) but generally a dialogue would be in order.
This post is about my local Morrisons (nee Safeways). It has always been a little down market - it tried to be upmarket but it never had the investment or IMHO the management to be truely engaging. I compare it to Tescos where I am always asked if I want help packing, or to Sainsburys where I am shown where something is if I ask, or the very low prices at Asda. But it has always been convenient and the prices have been low and it had the products we wanted to buy. Then Morrisons took it over.
The decor has changed. The product lines have changed. The staff grumble at the changes in pay and conditions or left.
So now its near Christmas and I want mincemeat for Mince pies. I get told its on some aisle over there (we've looked and it isn't) 'Oh, well then we haven't got any.' Are they going to get some in? 'No idea!' This has to be the last straw which started when they re-organised the product lines and decimated the vegetarian section, they have eliminated several other lines. They fail to even stock their own label goods and their staff are even more rude than before. Not to mention that prices have increased.
It is no wonder that the Safeways takeover has hurt Morrisons. They fundamentally change the demographic of their store footprint and fail to respond with anything other than 'Our new pie shop' - in the South East of england in one of the UKs most affluent areas?
Turning into a bit of a rant this but it beggars belief that a business as successful as Morrisons obviously was cannot come to grips with its new marketplace. That it cannot offer a decent level of customer service and that to top it all it cannot compete on price.
I feel I will need to twist my wife's arm and go back to Sainsburys!
Johnnie Moore's Weblog: Inherent qualities
Well first things first - congratulations to James and his wife on the birth of Maggie, may she always bring you joy.
Secondly congratulations to Johnnie and James on their recent success.
Lastly - inherent skills? I think it is defintely a frame of mind that allows people like James (and outwardly) Johnnie to move forward in life. Johnnie's point:
we have a huge amount of inbuilt talent that is ready to emerge when needed
may well be true but you have to believe that to be the case. If you doubt your ability, if you lack confidence then it restricts you.
Despite being happliy married with three children - I still don't think I am any good at any of those things and worry constantly about how to get better. Perhaps that is why I don't and others simply do?
BTW I know I can pass exams but its not quite the same thing :(