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My Errand and Your Business Tip

by fasteasysuccess
14 replies
Wanted to tell you about an errand had to run Yesterday. You See...

Lately my cell phone has been dying.

I would charge it, talk on it for a bit, then it dies.

Yesterday wandered over to the cell phone store. Instead of waiting in the huge line, I headed to the service desk. I'm waiting, an employee walks by and I let him know that I needed a battery.


Then he said the strangest thing...

"We don't carry batteries, try Radio Shack." Are you those even open anymore I wondered. Anyways...


Now, there was phone cases, stickers, headphones, even cell phone chargers, but no batteries.

Does this make sense? Or should I say cents. There's a saying...

"If it don't make dollars it don't make sense".


He pulled my battery out and said..."yup, shot" and continued walking.

I was about to leave and a girl asked if I've been helped. Explained that a man told me to go to Radio Shack.

She said..."I'll be right back."

Came back with a new battery. She said "you're all set" and was on my way.

How could the same store have 2 different responses? Simply...

Because one employee was ready to send me somewhere else and one was about customer satisfaction.

Now here's 2 quick lessons...

1-Do you go above and beyond for customers?

If you can keep customers satisfied, then do it.

It was a cell phone store, they had batteries. It was an easy fix.

2-Are you sending business away. Maybe not telling people to go somewhere else, but may be doing that without realizing it.

Look at my story. I needed a cell phone battery, I was in a cell phone store and they didn't carry it.

Are there services or products that are a perfect compliment to your existing products-services?

I bet if you think on that today, you can come up with at least one product or service that could easily put extra cash in your pocket.
#business #errand #tip
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  • Profile picture of the author palmtreelife
    Do you think maybe it could have had to do with male-helping-male vs female-helping-male? I certainly hope that's not the case, but the guy certainly had ZERO interest in helping you. There could be any number of reasons for that - he had a bad day and just didn't want to be there, his shift was ending, he didn't like you, he was new and didn't know they sold batteries, he was lazy etc.

    I've worked in a retail environment without commission and I know I don't treat every customer the same. It shouldn't be that way, but I think it's human nature. If a customer is nice, polite, easy to talk to, physically attractive, a sales associate will do more to help those customers than someone who is rude, rough looking, and difficult to talk to.

    In a commission based environment, I'm sure it's a different story. As a business owner, I always try to make sure my customers/clients are happy. They refer other customers to me and sometimes they even refer their competitors to me! Customer service will never get old and is always my highest priority in business.
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  • Profile picture of the author fasteasysuccess
    no palm tree, they didn't even sell batteries at all which is dumb on the part of the business, but the woman actually took it from a used phone they had and gave it to me and went above and beyond to keep a customer happy and the other employee could care less.
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    • Profile picture of the author palmtreelife
      Ah, that's even better. It sounded like the girl went and got a battery that the store sells. The fact she figured out a solution when the store didn't sell batteries...that's even better.

      Good question though...I thought Radio Shack was dead LONG ago???
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    • Profile picture of the author Marx Vergel Melencio
      Originally Posted by fasteasysuccess View Post

      but the woman actually took it from a used phone they had and gave it to me
      But what about the liability of the business when that battery damages your phone or explodes, causes fire and damage to life and property?
      Did she think of that?
      Did she explain this to you?
      Did she inform you that the business isn't liable for anything because it's a gesture of kindness on her part alone?

      So if I were the business owner, I'd have a long discussion with their manager and both agents.

      And I'd ask my store manager to call you up and tell you that, without any cost on your part, we'll buy you a brand new battery from another store that's designed specifically for your phone; and

      We'll give you the receipt from that store in case you need to have it replaced if it gets damaged under warranty, which is also saying that the store, and not my store, is fully liable for anything that happens with that brand new battery.

      After all, they're the ones with a legally binding contract with their suppliers and distributors for that battery, and not my store.

      Also, I'll again look at the feasibility of selling batteries in my store.
      After all, I might have reasons to not do that because of certain associated risks, laws and regulations that are specific to my business registration, operating license, style of doing business or anything else for that matter.
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  • Profile picture of the author fasteasysuccess
    it comes down to seeing what offer now and what related products can offer and give that to your customers. Plus, like the girl, you want employees who will go above and beyond to keep customers happy.
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  • Profile picture of the author jmosticc22
    Most business owners and good employees like the girl will go beyond and think outside of what they actually offer and create a solution to the problem. It is the employees that simply don't care that figure they are getting their paycheck whether they go beyond or not that can ruin your customer satisfaction.
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  • Profile picture of the author wilsonmacgregor
    Originally Posted by fasteasysuccess View Post



    Then he said the strangest thing...

    "We don't carry batteries, try Radio Shack." Are you those even open anymore I wondered. Anyways...


    Now, there was phone cases, stickers, headphones, even cell phone chargers, but no batteries.

    Does this make sense? Or should I say cents. There's a saying...

    "If it don't make dollars it don't make sense".
    Seems very reasonable to not sell batteries. First there probably is not a high demand for batteries and with all the different brands and phones available there are probably many different batteries so inventory costs would be extremely high with little or no return on the investment.

    Secondly, and most cell phone retailers probably know this, in this day and age by the time someones phone battery is in need of replacing 90% will probably just replace the phone with the latest version

    So it actually makes perfect sense
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  • Profile picture of the author fasteasysuccess
    Actually I wasn't the only one seeking batteries. The lady in line when I was talking to the girl, said she needed one too and last time was there they had a guy asking the same thing. Obviously people are asking for it and if it's related to your products or a perfect add on, then definitely would be smart to add to your business. Plus, even if broke even on batteries, it leaves the whole store to profit from since they are in the store now. It would be smart to carry and profitable. Even on the flip side if lost a little money on offering batteries, they could easily make it up and profit from the backend. Why push your customers to another business?
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    • Profile picture of the author agmccall
      Originally Posted by fasteasysuccess View Post

      Actually I wasn't the only one seeking batteries. The lady in line when I was talking to the girl, said she needed one too and last time was there they had a guy asking the same thing. Obviously people are asking for it and if it's related to your products or a perfect add on, then definitely would be smart to add to your business. Plus, even if broke even on batteries, it leaves the whole store to profit from since they are in the store now. It would be smart to carry and profitable. Even on the flip side if lost a little money on offering batteries, they could easily make it up and profit from the backend. Why push your customers to another business?
      Businesses are not stupid. While you may think it is a good idea like @wilsonmacgregor said,
      First there probably is not a high demand for batteries and with all the different brands and phones available there are probably many different batteries so inventory costs would be extremely high with little or no return on the investmen
      If as many people as you think are asking for them then they would be selling them.

      al
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  • Profile picture of the author fasteasysuccess
    unfortunately a lot of businesses do drop the ball and make stupid mistakes which cost them money short term and long term. Like said as well...


    Plus, even if broke even on batteries, it leaves the whole store to profit from since they are in the store now. It would be smart to carry and profitable. Even on the flip side if lost a little money on offering batteries, they could easily make it up and profit from the backend. Why push your customers to another business?



    That is a smarter way to do it. A lot of successful businesses have loss leaders or basically things that they break even or lose money on, this is how they keep customers there and buying from them vs going to the competition. Look at Mcdonalds and their loss leaders like the big macs etc...the money isn't made from the burgers, it's made from the fries, coke etc... They know if they get them in for that and even if lose a little or break even, they have your business now and enter the upsells.



    In phone store, they are ruining chances of upsells, follow ups for backend sales and so much more.


    This applies to any business, the most costly part is gaining that customer so why not take advantage of the backend. That's where the profits are and this is how you raise your actual customer value.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisBa
    That's interesting but could also just be a coincidence and the guy didn't know what the store stocked and sold?
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  • Profile picture of the author fasteasysuccess
    yup but unfortunately didn't sell like said and dropping the ball or guess call in there case.
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  • Profile picture of the author naviown
    What phone are you using that requires to change a battery in 2019?

    I am sorry any phones in recent years come without changeable batteries. So why would they keep batteries too? It's like keeping the radio in 2019 and expecting it to sell.
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