It seems destined to be a simple victory: a corporation (nationally recognized and understood as worthy) settles into a new town, claiming a street for its own. All tiny stores are to tremble; all local markets are to close their doors in defeat. They can’t sustain themselves, after all. It would be impossible… except it’s not.
Customers continue to seek out the familiar shops, indulging in relationships they have crafted through the years. Their names are known to all managers. Their needs are quickly identified. And their conversations are easy. A corporation seems to lack all intimacy in comparison, offering only broad promotions and faceless aid. This does not appeal.
Sprawling out across the country cannot be a quick decision, assumed perfect. While many businesses may succeed by adding branches and increasing competition, others will instead fail – and this is often caused not by an inferior product, but instead by a refusal to provide proper customer service.
Too often do corporations (in their quests to generate profits and lessen costs) create a service program that does not meet the expectations of their clients. Calls can be outsourced to lands far removed from the common man, which creates a barrier of language and customs. Emails are answered with standardize text, refusing to address specific questions. And employees send each consumer away, herding them from one manager to the next. It’s chaos; and many individuals refuse to accept it.
It is vital therefore that all corporations – whether nestled among Manhattan luxury apartments or village alleyways – establish themselves as more than their wares. They must instead develop a rapport with all of their clients, providing technical support and genuine concern. Industry can no longer be defined to its convenience. It must instead be shaped to humanity. Consumers must be understood and their concerns must be eliminated.
The profit is important but the connection is vital.
