Welcome to Volume 14 of the Tao Out Loud newsletter where we’re finding everyday magic, every day! If you’ve come here by chance, or a friend passed this on, I hope you’ve come to stay. Sign up below so you don’t miss a thing.
Phew, did anyone see what happened to February? It passed me like a laden ZR 2 miles out of Bridgetown, but I’m back. If you weren’t around for January’s mail-out, I introduced everyone to a three-step success strategy, good not just for retail but real life, garnered from an experience I had at a top national retailer. Step 1 was Predict and ironically I could not have predicted that in that same week, Walmart would be highlighted on Forbes.com for the same retail prowess I used as the basis for my writing. I want to thank my friend, Sueann, for drawing that article to my attention. Now let’s continue . . .
The 3-Step Relationship Success Strategy I Learned From Walmart
Part 2
Step 1. Predict (A Quick Look Back)
Recently a cold front descended on Florida and I noticed that my local Walmart stocked a shelf of fleece blankets and boxed radiators close to the main entrance. I thought it was very clever and noted that whether you’re setting up a store or sustaining a friendship; it’s crucial to pay attention to people’s unique and evolving needs. Not only are powers of observation critical, but the intangible ‘soft skill’ of empathy is of great merit. Read Part 1 in full here.
Success in relationships of any kind is fueled by predicting the needs of others. Attention, consideration, and empathy set us up to serve others well…but of course, we can’t just stop at observation. We must…
Step 2. Prepare
The retail coordinators at my local Walmart weren’t just sensitive to the possibility that people might be interested in heating supplies once the temperature dropped, they became responsive to and deliberate about meeting that demand. Before the stock ever sees the shelf this department makes sure it is available for presentation and purchase. They assess what will be profitable in rotation. Plans are set in place so that what is required is in stock. They place the necessary orders or maybe pull out what doesn’t move when Miami sunshine is in full force. Preparation requires resourcefulness, intentionality, and effort.
Step 3. Present
Then finally, they presented the solution to the felt need. They put those warmers in full view of the traffic coming through the front doors, at eye level, in the access aisle that takes the traffic flow from the entrance to the rest of the store. Shoppers (like myself) bustling in out of the cold, blowing warm air into their cupped hands would immediately think Yes, this is what I need, even if they already have these supplies at home. They might even start inventing new uses for them. I guarantee that even if they raised the price on those things, they would sell by suggestion and clever positioning. Presentation employs purposefulness, creativity, and accessibility.
Bringing it home
Customer relationships have similarities to “regular” relationships because relationships are all about people. Integrity, trust, consistency, satisfaction are as crucial when a monetary transaction is being made, as when the exchange is more intangible and enduring. Do you know a spouse that doesn’t appreciate real-time support from his wife? Or a colleague who won’t benefit from clear communication and genuine connection? As I said in my last post “people love to feel considered” and by that I mean they value being made to feel important or special.
Most organizations act like their customers are transactions to be processed, not people to relate to. But . . . you must have a deep understanding of your customers. This is because customers make decisions based on irrational emotional and subconscious factors . . . Organizations can design deliberate experiences based on the way customers feel . . . I’ve always thought that customer relationship building starts with simple common sense. I’d like to see more organizations use it.
https://beyondphilosophy.com/amazing-customer-relationships-like-marriage/
The psychology of the consumer experience is not a far departure from that which drives our personal interactions, and the values that underpin various types of relationships are comparable.
Attention, consideration, and empathy; intentionality, effort, and resourcefulness; purposefulness, creativity, and accessibility—even strangers stand to benefit from our employing these virtues in our everyday lives . . . but how much better those nearest and dearest to us.
So, let’s bring the principles home to roost. If we…
predict the needs of others with thoughtfulness and seeking kindness,
prepare for opportunities by identifying the resources, gifts, and skills we have that can serve them well, and
present those resources (and even ourselves) as an available solution if they care to take advantage
…we might just be setting ourselves up for relationship success. And that’s on your friendly neighborhood Walmart! ▪️
If you love timeless people principles disguised as customer service stuff…
Consider this awesome podcast that I really enjoyed. If you think it’s just for business people, you’d be incorrect.
A final thought…
In Volume 12 at the end of 2021, I wrote about Daphne Regina Portia, my seemingly half-dead orchid and her hidden thriving roots. I shared that “The winters of our lives can communicate to us that everything is over, that we’ll never again see sunlight. . .” but I continued with encouragement:
Despite how it seems on first observation…despite seeming likelihood or expectation…beneath the surface, there are signs of life. There’s hope. Something good is yet happening. There is discernible growth, covert capacity working its way to the sunlight. It never fails to catch me by surprise.
I just wanted to show you the queen’s first blooms of SoFlo Spring to remind you that seasons come and go, but God’s Word will perform what it was sent forth to, and that includes bringing you into perfection and glory in His time. Stay rooted and grounded in His love dear ones, till next time.
Chao for now,