Just recently we conducted a survey with our Japanese customers to determine how we can improve our relationship while at the same time increase sales. What did we learn? Not much.
The common theme was cheaper prices and a faster resolution to claims. Of course, what else would you expect the response to be?
Everybody wants cheaper prices and at some point in time this ends up being a nail in your coffin, your out of business. How many “low cost” companies have lasted over the long haul?
Claims resolved quickly? Of course they want them resolved quickly. If I were to purchase a shirt at Nordstroms, take it home only to find out it had a spot on it, would I not want to take it back and get it replaced or refunded right away? Yes, of course, I don’t want to explain what happened, why there is a problem, I just want it exchanged or refunded without any hassle. Unfortunately, nobody does this in the food industry. Everybody is pointing the finger and trying to avoid the problem, and of course nobody likes working on claims, so what happens? They drag on and on and take forever to be resolved. Of course this is a problem with our Japanese customers.
To me, the survey should be conducted between the final seller and the end user. If we can understand what frustrations and problems they have, then
we can develop a solution for them that would be far more meaningful then just lowering prices. So in my mind, we should be out spending more time trying to understand the end consumer and developing something that has a “WOW” factor as Tom Peters would say, or create a “Purple Cow“, something “Remarkable” as Seth Godin says.
How do we create WOW or REMARKABLE, well first start by spending 20 minutes watching Malcolm Gladwell video on Spaghetti sauce (see video below), this just might spark some creativity.
Regardless of what we do we should always strive for “Excellence”, as recently seen at Tom Peters post:
“Excellence can be obtained if you:
… care more than others think is wise;
… risk more than others think is safe;
… dream more than others think is practical;
… expect more than others think is possible.”
Lastly and most important:
Excellence.
Always.
If Not Excellence, What?
If Not Excellence Now, When?
Be Remarkable, create a Purple Cow!
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