It’s The Little Things…
by Vickie Storm, Director of Client Services
I work. I’ve always worked. I started working when I was fifteen. I worked during college summers and breaks. I worked before children, after marriage, after children, after divorce and again after re-marriage. When I think about it, there’s really never been a time when I didn’t work.
I like to work. I enjoy the opportunities and challenges of a career. A part of me is fulfilled by building something... creating something new or different or better or all of the above. But, let’s face it, a job means that my time that could otherwise be spent with family, on hobbies or even on myself is spent on the job. In fact, my paychecks have always represented a decision I make of how to spend my time. My paychecks are the results of long hours and professional struggles. In a way, I have thought that for all of us, the paycheck represents a part of ourselves... our blood, sweat and tears.
And, so it is that when we make purchases with money that we have earned from our job, we are giving up a bit of ourselves . . . a bit of our blood, sweat and tears... in exchange for goods or services. The decision becomes which vendor to choose to exchange part of ourselves for those goods or services? And, when you think about it, for most purchases, there are many choices. There’s a grocery store near every neighborhood; a gas station on every corner; a dry cleaner and hair salon in every strip mall; and a plethora of banks. So, choice of a vendor is a smorgasbord of options.
How do you choose in each particular category? Is it because that vendor has a specialty that none of the others offer? You prefer the way they cut your hair or starch your collar? But what about those vendors whose products or services are not easily differentiated? Why choose Target over Wal-mart? Does Jiffy Lube do a better job than Express Oil? Why go to Macy’s when you could go to Belk’s? Why select Avenue Bank when there are two hundred other choices in metro Nashville?
For me, the selection process is boiled down to couple of key components. The little things make a big difference. First, is that vendor able to do or provide something that I cannot get anywhere else? Second, does that vendor show appreciation for the fact that I am exchanging my blood, sweat and tears for their goods and services? Does that business let me know, in some form or fashion that they recognize I have a choice of vendors and that I picked them?
My kids understand my quest to do business with those that understand my need for appreciation. The scenario has been played out many times over the years; and now, at the ages of 24 and 21, they are all too familiar with the phases of the “sales cycle.”
Here’s how it tends to go:
I finish shopping and wait in line at the register for my turn. I hand over each item to the salesclerk who rings them up; the total is always more than I thought it would be (I see you nodding in agreement with me). Now, comes the time of exchange. The salesclerk is waiting for me to hand over some form of my blood, sweat and tears in exchange for these items or the services rendered. I sometimes literally sweat a little bit as I write out that check (gosh, it seems to come in a lot more slowly than it goes out). At this point, all I want is one thing... one little thing that makes all the difference in the world to me.
And, it is at this point that my children, especially when younger, would wait in anticipation. If too many seconds clicked by without that little response for which I was waiting, my kids would actually walk away, muttering under their breaths, “Here we go again.” Because, upon completing my transaction, I would not move on down the line and out the door. No. I would stand there and continue to look expectantly at the salesclerk, because in my mind our transaction clearly was not complete. I didn’t look angry and I wouldn’t utter a word, I would just stand there and continue to look into the eyes of the clerk, obviously waiting . . . but, waiting for what?!
Sometimes, the clerk would get it and say those two magic, simple words, “THANK YOU.” Sometimes they would say it with disdain or even an attitude, but nonetheless, I was now satisfied that there had been some show of appreciation that I had made a choice to spend my blood, sweat and tears with them, chose to help pay their salary, chose to help keep them in business one more day, when I could have just as easily walked across the street and bought the same items from another vendor.
But, alas, sometimes, the clerk didn’t get it. You would see panic come across his/her face, like a shadow. A small bead of sweat appears on the brow. “What does this crazy lady want?” “Why isn’t she moving along like a good little customer?” At which point, I would calmly, quietly and very directly, all the while looking them right in the eye, say, “You’re welcome.” And, then I would move on. But, while moving on, mark my word, I am wondering if this is the vendor that I want to continue to use. Do they really deserve my business, my blood, sweat and tears, when they cannot even be bothered to show me any appreciation for selecting them?
When the doors of Avenue Bank were opened, some people entertained the question of whether Nashville needed another bank?. As the manager of Avenue’s client services, I can tell you that we are not just another bank.
Our Concierge Bankers are selected for many reasons, one of which is their “servant leader” personalities. This means that they want to help other people. They receive some job satisfaction by doing so. It doesn’t have to be trained or incented or threatened to them – they do it, naturally.
Our business model is built on a foundation of client service. We understand the importance of how hard you work for your money and how important it is to you. We want to work with our clients to become good stewards of their money, offering competitive services at a fair rate. We will get to know you by name, and you will know us.
And, I can promise you, we will always let you know that we appreciate your business... that you have selected us as your bank of choice, with so many other options.
You see, it’s the little things that make a big difference.
Posted by sdaniel on 01/06 at 07:13 AM
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