Hug the Customer

I had an interesting discussion with a retailer several weeks ago about how the recession is changing business. She said that when times were flush, a sales person was more apt to get a sale from a customer who came in, found what they wanted - and boom - purchased it.

Sales required less finessing of dollars out of pockets.

Now, she explained, sales people are having to work harder with customers to get a sale because nothing is guaranteed. They may or may not be back and they’re only captive while they’re in the store.

In that spirit, I thought this New York Times article “Restaurants Stop Playing Hard to Get” was interesting. Although I doubt we have a problem with offering enough promotions, the story points out restaurants in the city that are trying to make themselves more amenable to customer wants.

The story quotes a restaurateur, Stephen Hanson, who recently closed two Manhattan restaurants as saying to a restaurateurs conference that: “the consumer will just shut down” this year and “You need to hug the customer.”

The author of the story, a restaurant critic, goes on to say:

“Trust me: the hugging had already begun. I was feeling it regularly in restaurants where I was certain I hadn’t been recognized as a critic and where the “hello” from the host station sounded more like a “thank God.”"

The story also talks about web sites that show recession specials and price reductions at eateries. Some restaurants are extending promotional deals for special seasonal events. One restaurant even abandoned rules requiring diners to wear neckties to dinner.

The author goes on to point out a less condescending attitude among restaurants toward its customers. Maybe a recession puts a heightened the emphasis on pleasing the customer and customer service. Have your stores? Did the good times leave us with some bad habits, overall, in the industry?