Wow. Costco.
I’ve always wondered about how they keep all their staff so friendly (at least in our local). Today I think I found a clue – empowerment.
We purchased a huge BBQ from them on Monday which was advertised as coming with a cover on their literature. The cover was a big selling point, as those things run at about £40 for this particular model.
After lots of unpacking though, no cover. I called them expecting at best an offer to refund if I drove it all the way back, but was blown away when the girl who answered the phone said “Yep, I looked on the box and it doesn’t say cover, nor does it say cover in the literature but I see that printout near the display and that *does* say it comes with one; so I’ve instructed purchasing to find you one, buy it and have it delivered to you.” 24 hours later the manufacturer phones me up to check a time for a CitiLink courier to turn up.
Not that long ago I’d mentioned to a customer service rep I’d left a crate of beer on the trolley in the car park, and almost without me finishing my story she’d gone and fetched me a replacement and told me to have a nice day – no questions, no demand for proof or anything.
The staff seem to be given the power to make decisions without needing to pander to some manager somewhere. That must make a huge difference to how they operate in what is essentially a big warehouse supermarket.
Hats off. Applying to own business.
