Good Business
I have some stores that I absolutely love. Nordstrom, Trader Joe's, and Costco are some of my favorites. One of the reasons I like them so much is that they stand by their products, and they also admit if something isn't up to par. Not only admit, but work to make things right for their customer. Because of this, I'll be loyal forever.
A couple of years ago, Brian and I were shopping at Nordstrom. He needed a new pair of shoes, and it happened to be during their half-yearly men's sale. Hallelujah! We found a fantastic shoe in the perfect size on the clearance rack! I took it to the counter and asked to see its pair. The salesman opened the box and the matching shoe...wasn't a match. The colors on the shoes were different shades of gray. Really different shades. Disappointed, I said we weren't interested and started to walk away. The salesman called after me and said he could order the same shoes online and have them delivered to us.
"Could we still get the clearance price," I asked?
"Of course," he said.
I bought the shoes. I walked out of Nordstrom, knowing I would be back. That store understands good business. My experiences with Trader Joe's and Costco have been similar.
In contrast, there is an ice cream store out here that is struggling. I think maybe the ownership changed in the past year, and they do not understand good business. AT ALL.
Two weeks ago, we had been at the lake all day and wanted some ice cream. We have ended many summer days with a visit to our local Braum's. They have a soft serve ice cream cone that hits the spot on a hot, Texas day. There are three options: vanilla, chocolate, or a twist of both flavors.
We always get a twist cone.
Brian drove the car in the drive-through and ordered 8 twist cones. The lady taking our order said there was a problem with the machine. The vanilla was coming out too fast, so we could either get plain chocolate in a cone, or put the twist in a cup. I'm not sure why I believed that the cup would solve the soft-serve machine issue, but I did. After a quick poll in the car, we decided to stick with the twist in a cup.
Well, we pulled up to the window and the employee handed us our order. This was not a twist. Believe me, there was no twisting in any of the cups. She handed us 8 cups of vanilla soup with one small turd of chocolate. It was unbelievable. I passed the pathetic "twist" cups to everyone in the car. Frustrated, I opened my spoon and ate it anyway. It tasted like betrayal.
To clarify, I have no problem with Braum's saying their soft-serve machine is broken, and they are sorry. Of course machines break! At times, things don't work the way they are intended. I understand and respect that kind of honesty. I wish that is how things had gone. Instead, they offered the twist cone we knew and loved...and delivered vanilla soup.
It's just bad business. I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to Braum’s.
The contrast between a good and bad business got me thinking. I started to wonder about myself—-the business of me.
Am I offering value to my family and my community? Do I stand behind the things I say? Am I living my life with integrity? Can I admit when I messed up and apologize? Am I pretending that vanilla soup is a twist cone?
It’s a lot to consider, but it is time well spent. Good business, especially when it is the business of you, is always worth the work.
Our favorite twist cones
What the heck is this??