Best Buy’s Paul Has Great Customer Service Ideas

I’m shopping for a new refrigerator and stove – have I told you?  Two really big expense items.  Last year it was the dryer and dishwasher – man, it is expensive owning a home.

So after researching on the Internet, I decide that Best Buy has the best prices.  I walked in the other day and was greeted by a smile.   He says “What can I help you with?”  I told him and he said “So what color do you want?”

Of all of the features and decisions when appliance shopping, I thought that was an odd place to start.  It made me smile – it was so unexpected.  So I laughed and said “That’s where you want to start?”

He said – “No – how about we start by saying, I’m Paul and you are?”

He reached out his hand and smiled. 

I was immediately won over.  I’m going to be spending a lot of money.  It’s nice to know that I will be buying from someone who knows my name and begins to use it. 

It turns out there is a question as to whether or not I have a drop in stove and he recommends that before I spend a bunch of money, I should have a professional come measure and check out the situation and he can take care of that for me.  We get to talking and learning more about each other and he learns that I will be giving a speech on Customer Service and he says:

“So how am I doing?”

“You’re doing great,” I assure him.

Paul Has Ideas For Customer Service

He proceeds to tell me that he has all these ideas for improving customer service above and beyond.  He wants to take a sign language class so he can communicate with those who have a hearing disability.  He wants to create an “in home” shopping program for those who are unable to leave their home but want a more personal shopping experience than just shopping on the Internet and he wants to start a blog about shopping for appliances.

Now Paul is not the owner of Best Buy.  He isn’t the Manager of the Macedonia, Ohio Best Buy.  Paul isn’t the Department Manager.  Paul is a hard working sales person in the appliance section with dreams and ideas for how to make Best Buy better. 

When was the last time you ASKED your employees what ideas they have for making your business better?  The employees that actually talk every day to the customers are probably your greatest source for ideas on marketing, sales techniques, customer service, merchandising and purchasing. Have you solicited their ideas?   Have you listened to what they have to say?

I hope someone within Best Buy has a Google Alert set up so they see this post and then follow through and talk to Paul about his ideas.  He’s got a lot of them and they are all good.

I bet your employees have a lot of great ideas too.