How they made £800 by telling me to go elsewhere

The other day our TV started making a strange noise when we switched over to HD channels.. like static/white noise - but only from HD channels.

I like to support my local economy, even if we do pay a premium in most cases. So I phoned up a small specialist TV shop and told him about the problem and asked him if they could fix it.

"Yes, I think I know what the problem is, you need a new board," he said over the phone.

"Great! What time can you collect it?" I asked.

"I can come round tomorrow afternoon," he replied, followed by a short pause, "but it's an expensive job.

"Really, it could cost you the same as a brand new TV. You'll be better off buying a new one. In fact I saw a good cheap TV in Argos last week that costs less than a new board."

Now I was stunned, he was suggesting I go to Argos (a major UK retailer). What great advice.. made perfect sense. So I thanked him, put the phone down, grabbed my keys and put on my coat to head into town.

Then I thought to myself.. hey this guy cares about his market.. he's putting his customers interests, and even his non-customers interests, first.

So walking out the door I decided to forget about Argos, and head over to his small shop instead and buy a new TV from him instead.

Sure, it will cost more, but if there's ever a problem with it, at anytime in the future, I know I'll get good advice. He gives something that a major chain (or the big guns) cannot.. honest, personal one-to-one information that really helps his customers.

I ended up giving him over £800 for a new TV, when I could have bought one in Argos for half the price, because he genuinely tried to help me. The big guns focus on the money and not on people. That's the key.. people helping people. We all want to feel like we've received something a little special, that we're not just another in a long line of cash-cow customers. It's rare that we experience that value, as customers.. even though everyone who has something for sale claims they follow that ethos.

And now because he took 2 minutes to offer real advice, I'm recommending him to friends and family.

To me, that's inspiring and a great example of what genuine reciprocation can do for us.