Don’t get me wrong.  I think Wal-Mart provides a great service for America.

Today I needed to pick up some prescriptions at my local Wal-Mart.  When I called to inquire on availability they informed me that the price was higher than I had been buying down the street at a K-Mart store.

“Why don’t you match the price” I asked?

“Because it is farther than 5 miles away.”

“But if you don’t, I will just go back to K-Mart.”

“Sorry” they said.

So called the Wal-Mart that is a couple of miles further away but just down the street from K-Mart and THEY would match the price.

Dumb on the part of the local Wal-Mart.   They rejected a $4 concession only to have me buy ALL my families needs at another store.   That is thousands and thousands of dollars.

I remember years ago a book by Wayne Dwyer.  In the book he talks about how frustrating “policy” can be sometimes.  He has a pithy saying he espouses.  When the clerk is sticking to the company line he just says to himself . . .”Clerk’s a Jerk. . . Clerk’s a Jerk”.

The sad thing is that organization won’t let the person who is interfacing with the public to make a decision that is best for the company and the customer.

Years ago my customers was on a panel in front of 600 sales and marketing executives at my company.   The question came, “Do you feel like your local office does anything above and beyond the call of duty for you?”

My customer looked down and me and I shrugged.

He said, “Yes they do.”

“What sort of things do they do?”

“I don’t know if I can tell you because I know they adapt your procedures and policies to get us the service and products we need.”

The convention hall erupted in a standing ovation.

The President of the organization stood and called for the microphone.  Everyone waited to see what was said.

“Folks, that is the right answer.  We want to be able to charge for higher service levels and that only comes after a relationship of trust and service is built.

I went from being worried about my job to being the hero in one honest comments time.