Pulse June 2018 | Page 8

e very time I think of customer service, I think of Trader Joe’s (TJ’s). It’s amazing to me how a grocery store can inspire their employees to be so kind, attentive and all-around service-minded to every single guest who walks in. I’ve never had a bad experience with a Trader Joe’s employee. And going further, I’ve never seen a Trader Joe’s crewmember who wasn’t smiling. Why don’t other grocery stores give the same impression to their guests? Why is it way less of a chore to go grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s? It’s not the “When you take care of your employees, your employees will take care of your customers.” That’s the underlying theme of this customer service issue of Pulse. If you check out The Making of an Allstar (page 42) you’ll see how ISPA members are incredible banana chips or those goofy Hawaiian shirts that inspire such hospi- would gladly bring groceries to him—oh, creating cultures that nurture both tality. It’s the company’s culture. and they didn’t charge her a penny. employees and customers—with Trader Joe’s leadership makes it a point Founder of Trader Joe’s, Joe Coulombe incredible results, and Kerstin Plehwe’s It’s to empower local employees to attend to said that from the beginning he has an Animal Planet on page 54, shows how customer needs. Take for example, when always wanted to make Trader Joe’s a fun great leadership skills can affect every the Phoenix Trader Joe’s decided to open place to shop, and the first step towards aspect of your company—including well before their official opening hours this goal was to hire and maintain customer experience. just so customers could shop at a more cheerful employees. In 1960 the founder convenient time. Or have you heard the established a policy to pay his full-time and customer service excellence isn’t story about the 89-year-old Pennsylvania employees the median household income restricted to groceries. Spa leaders can man who was stranded in his home after in America, which is about $50,000 today. easily adopt TJ’s philosophies in their a snow storm? His daughter, who didn’t Trader Joe’s also allows part-timers to earn own businesses by creating an live in the area, called around to several health-care benefits. Now you know why environment where customers and other stores trying to find someone to those crewmembers are smiling! employees are put first. deliver groceries to him. Finally, she called Trader Joe’s service leadership model When you take care of your Trader Joe’s. Now, TJ’s doesn’t deliver, but employees, your employees will take care after hearing her pleas, they told her they of your customers. —KElly HEitz, Editor folloW KElly @PulseEditor 6 PULSE ■ June 2018 @isPaPulseEditor