COS

NEWS

Thanks to the excellent Olivier Dauvers, I discovered the existence of this poster at the entrance to an Intermarché store (Moreac).

What could be management’s aim in informing customers that in this store
store “they will be welcomed with respect” using irony?

To stand out from competitors who offer a deplorable welcome? I checked the Google reviews, and it’s simply not true! Competitors have better or equally good ratings.

Educate customers by asking them to be respectful? It’s a cheeky idea, but it would be a good one if the teams themselves were beyond reproach. A quick look at this store’s reviews shows that some customers complain (as they do everywhere) about the lack of consideration shown by the teams…

Putting pressure on your teams by making a managerial injunction “public”… Personally, I like this idea, but you then have to obsessively promote this practice and never give up, otherwise the subject will be experienced as yet another contradictory injunction.

All in all, I think it’s risky to communicate in this way unless you’re completely exemplary.
But in that case, there’s no need to communicate, you just have to let your customers experience it.

All this goes back to the fascinating theme of customer relations. The relationship can’t be one-sided. We put a lot of pressure on our teams, but in return we need understanding, polite and respectful customers. Who should go first, the chicken or the egg?