Tax rebate – Are you getting your cut?

With the new Federal stimulus package signed and ready to go, American households will receive checks ranging from $300 to $1200. The estimated arrival date for these checks is sometime in May. There is over $160 billion about to circulate back into the economy. What are you doing to promote your offerings during this period?

Whole Foods eliminated plastic bags. What bold moves are you taking?

By April 22, Whole Foods will eliminate the use of disposable plastic bags in all 270 stores. This will save 100 million bags from entering landfills in 2008 alone. Such a bold move shows that Whole Foods cares about their environmental mission, both in practice and perception. Some may call it a partial marketing move…so be it.

What bold moves are you taking to show your company’s leadership, environmental or otherwise?  In order to connect with your customers for the long-term, you must take the initiative to make a real impact. You can also eliminate plastic bags, or do other things like a trail cleanup, switch to alternative energy, or a multitude of other honest actions. Your customers will notice these honest actions, and you will benefit in more ways than a growing bottom line. Talk is cheap, and action is hot.

Kmart and the missing gift card

Here’s an example of big-box store customer service gone horribly wrong:

I’m a self-confessed video game junkie. The day Halo 3 debuted (September 25, 2007), I rushed to Kmart to purchase the game. A huge part of the incentive was the $50 gift card that came with buying the $59 game.  Basically, I could get the game for $9, and spend the $50 on Christmas gifts.  Well, now it’s January 17, 2008 and I haven’t received the gift card. Although I’ve called Kmart about this, I’ve received no information or assistance. Needless to say, I highly doubt I will spend money at Kmart again.  The store already sucks, the merchandising is lame, and their customer service is deplorable.

This is a good lesson for smaller retailers looking to gain a competitive edge against the big box stores.  Although big box stores have pricing power and volume, as a rule, they have notoriously bad customer service.  Any idiot can compete on price, but customer service is a far harder game to play for the big chains. Let your small store shine with a awesome customer service and follow-through.

In the meantime, I will patiently wait for my gift card…

Kmart and the missing gift card

Here’s an example of big-box store customer service gone horribly wrong:

I’m a self-confessed video game junkie. The day Halo 3 debuted (September 25, 2007), I rushed to Kmart to purchase the game. A huge part of the incentive was the $50 gift card that came with buying the $59 game.  Basically, I could get the game for $9, and spend the $50 on Christmas gifts.  Well, now it’s January 17, 2008 and I haven’t received the gift card. Although I’ve called Kmart about this, I’ve received no information or assistance. Needless to say, I highly doubt I will spend money at Kmart again.  The store already sucks, the merchandising is lame, and their customer service is deplorable.

This is a good lesson for smaller retailers looking to gain a competitive edge against the big box stores.  Although big box stores have pricing power and volume, as a rule, they have notoriously bad customer service.  Any idiot can compete on price, but customer service is a far harder game to play for the big chains. Let your small store shine with a awesome customer service and follow-through.

In the meantime, I will patiently wait for my gift card…