Wow!

In 1901, drugstores were not inviting places to visit. Usually drab and dimly lit, customers would only visit long enough to find what they need and then quickly leave. Every pharmacy at the time supplied prescriptions and delivered them to the door of customers; however, a Chicago pharmacist by the name of Charles R. Walgreen Sr. wanted to do something different that would exceed his customer’s expectations.

His plan was to use that era’s latest technology—the telephone—to give him a competitive advantage. When a customer would phone in an order for nonprescription goods, Walgreen would repeat the name of the customer, address, and the items wanted out loud so that a store employee could listen and gather the items. While Walgreen continued to talk to the customer for several minutes, the employee would race to the customer’s home and hand deliver the order to the surprised customer while she was still on the phone with Walgreen.

This “WOW” experience would cause her to share her experience of extraordinary service with others. This, along with other innovative ideas, helped Walgreen build America’s largest drugstore chain, with projections of 7,000 stores by 2010.

What have you done in your organization to WOW the customer? When we ask people if they have had a WOW experience, we will occasionally have a few individuals tell us they can remember such an incident. And in almost every case, it was NOT on Saipan. More often it was a POW experience, where the business socked it to the customer.

Charles R. Walgreen Sr. also made some innovative changes that increased the number of customers, got them to purchase more when they bought, and kept them coming back more often. While most drugstores had a small soda fountain, Walgreen expanded the concept and added ice cream and other treats. During the colder months he changed the menu to hot soups, sandwiches, and desserts to keep the fountain busy year-round.

As a business owner or manager, you should be committed to making the life of your customer better, easier, or more fulfilling. It takes the commitment of top management to make the changes and allocate the resources needed to create a “wow” environment. Without that commitment, an illusion of change will occur, but the status quo will soon regain its comfortable position.

Also, do not think that you alone can come up with all the innovative ideas to create real and lasting change. Involve others in the process and you will be amazed at the quantity and quality of ideas that are given. One of Walgreen’s fountain managers came up with the fountain’s greatest hit in 1922—the milkshake! He created a double rich chocolate malted milk thickened with three scoops of vanilla ice cream that was topped with whip cream and a cherry. Before long, customers were standing in line to delight their taste buds with the new treat.

Examine what your organization should and could do to achieve the ultimate outcome in a particular area. Ask your people: “What would we need to do to create a WOW experience for our customers? What would it look and feel like to them?”

Brainstorm some answers without being judgmental or critical. Later you can examine the best of the ideas and begin the next phase—how to achieve the outcome. What steps must be taken to move the organization from where you are now to the WOW state? Now you will need to get details and identify the various steps, resources, and a timeline for accomplishing the task.

When you discover and implement a WOW strategy, you will find that it not only improves the relationships with customers, but it can also improve the overall morale of the organization and reduce turnover. People like to be part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of others. They will enjoy being the WOW-giver to customers, and customers will have greater appreciation and respect for those that WOW them.

It can be fun to implement, and WOWing customers will definitely be an unusual encounter for Saipan residents and tourists. An unexpected pleasant experience can change human behavior and improve customer relationships. That change can result in a more loyal customer who tells others good things about your business and helps you build a strong, more profitable clientele. If you want to WOW your bank account, you should learn how to WOW your customers.

(Rik is a business instructor at NMC and Janel is the owner of Positively Outrageous Results. They can be contacted at: biz_results@yahoo.com)