Welcoming Back a Friendly Tradition to Boost Smiles and Sales
- DATE: May 10, 2016
- POSTED BY: Jessica Koslow
- CATEGORY: Customer Service
Greeter Willie Perkins at Walmart in Maumelle. Photo Credit: Curt Youngblood, Arkansas Online
Four years ago, Wal-Mart decided to do away with “greeters” at its store entrances. But, according to this Entrepreneur article, “warm welcomes were not the only loss resulting from this decision. The retailer sacrificed a core tradition, as well as a substantial sum of money due to increased shoplifting.”
Lydia Belanger reports, “By the middle of this summer, Wal-Mart greeters will return to a majority of the chain’s 5,000-plus U.S. stores.”
The retailer’s late founder, Sam Walton, would be happy. He came up with the concept because he thought it provided “competitors with a customer service challenge to be reckoned with,” wrote author Michael Bergdahl in his book, What I Learned From Sam Walton: How to Compete and Thrive in a Wal-Mart World.
Jim has written about it before: Good service is the best marketing money you’ll ever spend. And he’s done the math for you…
Read More:
- 50 Inspiring Customer Service Quotes From Top Brands
- 10 Ways to Get to Know Your Customers Better
- How to Really Listen to Your Customers
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