February 28, 2010 – NewsOK.com – USA
On the new reality television series “Undercover Boss,” CEOs from major U.S. companies literally go “undercover” for a week inside their own organization to learn what really happens on the front lines.
Donning a fake name, they work entry-level positions in various capacities in their organization over the course of a week. A recent episode had a great “Eureka!” moment that so many companies have yet to recognize.
Featuring the CEO of a leading convenience store chain, the show focused on his work at various stores and distribution centers, and on a delivery truck. He noted that one store where he went undercover was their No. 1 seller of coffee — far outpacing the other stores. His desire was to “understand what it was about the coffee at this store that made it so popular.”
As he worked his shift, he quickly learned that the coffee was only a small reason why customers flocked to the location in droves.
The reason wasn’t the coffee. It was the store worker that knew each of her customers by name, by story, even so far as coming across motherly to some.
Morning commuters came for hugs and conversation just as much as they came for the coffee. She had worked at that store for 18 years, and it showed. The CEO walked away with a huge lesson: It isn’t just about customer service — it’s about customer relationships. Read story.
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