Is quality service too much to ask for?

As a consumer, I’m frustrated with the lack of customer service I too often encounter in the retail world. For example, I recently set up appointments with some local contractors to get estimates on a new backyard fence. I scheduled the first estimate during my lunch hour, anticipating the contractor and I would have plenty of time to discuss the job before I had to get back to work. I arrived home at 1 p.m. and waited … and waited … and waited. Thirty minutes later, the contractor—who shall remain nameless—knocked on my door. Not only did he fail to apologize for wasting my time, he didn’t acknowledge he was late! I decided I would not be using his company’s services, regardless of how low their bid.

There is a lot of discussion in the glass industry, particularly on the automotive side, about how retailers are stealing business away from their competitors by offering rock-bottom prices. Maybe I’m unusual, but a low price is not the first thing I look for in a service provider. I want prompt, quality service; I want friendly CSRs; I want a company to give me a reason, other than price, to use its products and services.

At Creative Mirror & Shower in Addison, Ill., that reason is the highly qualified staff. “We feel that product knowledge is a massive advantage for us,” explained President Mark Pritikin in an interview for the “Showrooms as sales tools” article in the upcoming October issue of Glass Magazine. “When you come into our stores, you talk with knowledgeable people.”

What reason do you offer customers to frequent your shop? If the answer is price, you might be in trouble. If it’s something more powerful, I’d love to include it in our ongoing “Poker Play” series on how retailers can improve their businesses. Please email me at jchase@glass.org. Help me out: Is quality service really too much to ask for?

—By Jenni Chase, senior editor, retail and auto glass, Glass Magazine

Stand up to scammers

My dad always told me to “trust but verify.” A safer piece of advice today, in the scam age, might be “doubt until verified.” There are Internet scams, identity thefts, pyramid schemes, charity frauds and, of particular concern for the glass industry, ordering scams.

I received an e-mail last week from Chris Thornton, president of Ace Glass Inc., Montgomery, Ala., saying his shop had been targeted by scammers. After several emails back and forth, Thornton identified the fraud and stopped the order before the company lost any money. Many shops have not been so lucky.

For several years, scammers have targeted the glass industry with fraudulent orders that could cost a company thousands of dollars if not caught in time. And, there is little or no protection for companies once they have been scammed.

“The main thing to get this stopped is education within glass companies. Recognize the patterns,” David Furlong, investigator for the Utah Division of Consumer Protection said in a September 2007 e-glass weekly article.

To help glass shop owners keep up with frauds and scamming techniques, we have created a Scam alert page on GlassMagazine.com. The page contains a list of the red flags for fraud, links to related scam articles and copies of fraudulent orders sent to glass shops.

E-mail me at kdevlin@glass.org to submit your information to the Scam alert page.

—By Katy Devlin, commercial glass and metals editor, retail glass co-editor, Glass Magazine

Summer musings: sea glass and tipping points

It’s not quite like being a kid, but I still enjoy this time of year. A trip to the beach, a good book, even sweating in the lawn. Summer always seems to be a good time for reflection, learning, planning...

For example, the other day I spotted a piece of sea glass. Yes, sea glass.

You know, those irregular shards of glass that, after years of pounding and molding by the ocean, eventually wear into smooth collectibles. Indeed, one man’s trash truly becomes another’s treasure.

Time does just that. It changes the mix and shape of things. And much like shards of glass cast about by the sea, businesses are shaped and buffeted by the relentless forces that surround them. Change is inevitable.

I recently watched a video interview in which a leading industry CEO proclaimed that the auto glass industry is in crisis. He went on to make a number of poignant observations that, no doubt, can all lead to such a dramatic conclusion.

So while I hesitate to disagree with such a notable senior executive – whose experience and knowledge of the industry dwarfs my own – I’d like to offer a slightly different take: The auto glass industry is not so much in crisis as it is facing a "tipping point."

You know well the immovable forces shaping your business:
· Shrinking insurance reimbursements, which now force you to work with
two penny-pinching customers: Joe Consumer and Mega Insurance Co.
· Networks
· Unstable pricing
· Tighter margins
· Competition from other market segments
· Mergers and consolidations
· And sadly, in many cases, outright business closings

While all of the above might reasonably be classified as presenting a “crisis,” I believe these transformative developments are simply accelerating a natural weeding-out of winners and losers.

Which brings me back to my summer reading. You won’t be surprised to learn that I just finished a terrific read called, drumroll please ... "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference" by Malcolm Gladwell.

Gladwell defines tipping points as “the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable.”

He discusses how messages and behaviors spread like viruses, starting as a series of small movements. They cut through the clutter, and eventually stick, creating a new context to which the winners will adapt. Those who are unable or unwilling to adjust lose.

In my travels, I have visited a number of successful auto glass companies. These firms are adapting to the changes that envelope them. They are winning, not just with hard work and persistence – traits that always define winners.

They are rising above the competition with superior quality (supported by a commitment to employee training) and best-in-class marketing. (Shameless, but relevant, plug: You can see many of these companies at the National Auto Glass Conference next February in Orlando.)

Here’s a question to ponder: Are you facing a tipping point? If so, you’re not alone. It’s time to invest in the things that can push you into the winners’ category. Quality … top-notch marketing … training …

While you’re at it, you may want to pick up "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Difference." After all, it’s the summer!