Common sense is not very common

As customers and as consumers we come in touch and interact with different types of sales people and service providers. Most of the services provided leave a very bad taste in the mouth. Can these interactions be made better by using a little bit of commonsense? Let us see

Most of the shop keepers and small time vendors give a bill or an invoice which very boldly says “goods once sold will not be taken back under any circumstance". Even national level retail chains are very unhappy about returns and exchanges. They offer exchanges but put lots of pre conditions on the customer - the customer has to come only between 1200 hours to 1400 hours, they can only exchange in kind and cash will not be refunded.

Using common sense it becomes very clear that customers have to be pandered and pleased at all times. It is better to take back the goods and immediately offer to return the money. In USA there is an no question asking policy. The employees are instructed not to ask as to why the merchandise is being returned.

Next to buying a house Indians consider buying a car as the most important buying decision of their life. The entire family would troop into a car showroom and pour over the brochures and laboriously study all the fine print, discuss threadbare and finally after lots of hesitation and uncertainty would choose a vehicle.

What happens next is in many cases a true horror story. The mechanic would handle the New car roughly and would slam the doors and would screech the car to a halt before the hapless family. Even foot mats are given not given free.

The family would drive the car to the neatest temple and perform the puja and become spiritually happy but financially sad (one has to give a minimum of 500/- rupees to the pujari- Arrey yaar hum bhe to ex car ke owner bun gaye!).

Using common sense how the entire situation can be handled in a professional way. The mechanic drives the car wearing gloves. He drives the car in a gentle way and treats the car very respectfully. The car owner gets free foot mats, free key chain. But that is not everything. When the family steps into the car they are in for one more surprise. The car is driven to an area where the pujari is ready (employee of the dealer). The Pujari places 4 pieces of lemon below the wheels of the car and performs the puja and wishes the family. The total cost to the dealer – less than 100 rupees per car.

The family goes home happily. They are overjoyed. This is where the CRM practices of the company can kick in. They can collect the personal details like the birthdays of the entire family and send them greeting cards. The annual anniversary of the car can be remembered and the family can be sent a nice greeting card.

“If the small things of life can be managed well, the big things will get managed by themselves” Take care to manage the small things well.