Staples vs. Office Max

We are fortunate in our town because we have plenty of retail choices.  When it comes to office supplies, for example, there is a Staples just 5 minutes away and an OfficeMax 7 minutes away.  If that does not work, you can get to an Office Depot in 10.

I went into Staples recently looking for four items.  I wandered around trying to find what I was looking for.  When I finally found someone to ask for help, he pointed me in the general direction and gave me an aisle number.  When I got to checkout I asked the clerk if they happened to carry any other computer speakers than the ones they had on display.  She didn’t know, but she told me I could go ask one of the guys on the floor if I wanted to know.  I chuckled.  She looked at me.  I simply told her that I did want to know and that is the reason I asked!  After she then proceeded to ring up my order wrong twice and never called for they guys on the floor to answer my question, I decided that the competition might be more worthy of my business so I thanked her and drove two more minutes to OfficeMax.

Imagine my surprise when I arrived at OfficeMax and was greeted at the door by an OfficeMax associate who asked if he could help me find what I was looking for.  I was expecting a pointed finger and an isle number, but got an escort instead.  He walked me to every place in the store where I was looking and offered to order the computer speakers I was looking for but that they did not have in stock.  It took me 1/3rd the time at Office Max as it did at Staples and I was glad I went.  The clerk at checkout was courteous and efficient and I was out the door in no time.  I even saved $10 over what I was going to pay at Staples.

Now I don’t know if I would find the same service at the OfficeMax 20 minutes away as I did at the one 7 minutes away.  I don’t know if I would have received the same lousy service at Stapes at a different location either.  All I know is that…

1. You are the brand when the customer is standing in front of you.
2. Brands are as strong as they are consistent. But if I only go to one location and that location always has good service, that brand to me is consistent.
3. When customer perception of the product is about the same, your biggest point of differentiation is service.

Ask your team today, are you a Staples or an OfficeMax?  It all comes down to service.  If you haven’t trained and retained on it over and over and over again, you are probably a Staples.  It rarely happens on accident.

Make sure to check out the upcoming ToPS Total Immersion dates at www.TotalPatientService.com .   Bring your entire team.  Take your service to the “Max” with the Total Patient Service difference.  Otherwise you are bound to be Stapled!