The article discusses the business strategy implemented by Christian Kar of Espresso Connection, a drive-through coffer bar in Everett, WA to make customer service the top priority. He strengthened employee training and compensation package to enhance customer loyalty and elevate profits. Old and new employees first underwent customer service training and practical activities of making drinks and using store facilities for a week. Afterwards, they engaged in a 40-hour on-the-job training at the stores. The goals of the trainings were to enable new employees to learn the basics of the job and to impart effective methods of customer service. The strategy rendered various advantages for the employees and the company such as doubled daily revenues and per-store profits, higher pay, retirement benefits, vacation leave, and partial health provision. The major risks were the 30% decrease in yearly marketing budget and the long-term consistent process that the strategy warrants.
The strategy adopted by Kar is very practical. Customers are the lifeblood of any business, and their absence gives the business no reason to exist. Thus, taking good care of customers is highly valuable. Hurlbert states that existing customers are vital to a business since they already know the products or services. If they think that the company values their business, they would return to facilitate another transaction. This process does not involve any marketing cost. On the contrary, finding new customers not only entails marketing and advertising expenses but also exhausts manpower efforts and time which could have been spent in other important business operations.
REFERENCES
Barker, Emily. High Test Education. 2007. Inc.com. 8 March 2007.
Hurlbert, Wayne. Customer Service: Good for the bottom line. 8 February 2007.
Blog Business World. 8 March 2007.
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