I Can Be Bought
by Amy Eaton
At the last LLOPS Happy Hour, I found myself on the receiving end of a Rock Bottom t-shirt. I received this shirt because I own the Rock Bottom Mug Club card and had completed 35 visits. I initially requested the Mug Club card because you get a large beer for the price of a regular, and I am always ready to be upsized. But here I am, 6 years later, with a Mug Club hat, logo pint glass and a t-shirt. What has possessed me to continue to eat at the same restaurant regularly when there are so many fabulous places to dine downtown? I don’t even drink that much beer.
I puzzled over this recently while I ran in the rain wearing my trusty Mug Club hat. I don’t sign up for grocery store cards or store credit cards. I am not tempted by reduced prices or cash back, yet I folded completely at the thought of a free pint glass and a little extra beer. Clearly, I like free stuff (which the vendors cottoned on to long ago), but there must be more to it.
Do free things make people like you more? Certainly freebies can help open the door and gain you access. But they can’t make you like the product. If I didn’t have a secret affinity for the Rock Bottom nachos, I wouldn’t sneak off to Rock Bottom quite so often. Bad food does not compensate for free stuff.
The customer service at Rock Bottom is top notch. When I commented to a waiter that someone at work had stolen my logo pint glass, he brought me a new one. His simple action made me a more loyal customer than the Mug Club ever did. I have told this story to many people, demonstrating the power of positive customer service.
Although I was enticed by the Mug Club, I have returned because I enjoy the food and have felt like they value me as a customer. This is a lesson we can all use as we work with our customers. Sell a good product and treat people well. It will get you far.
Themocracy
Amy,
In these Googling times, your comments make much sense for librarians to heed. Our work is about excellent customer service and not place anymore.
Thanks for a fine article.
Cute dog!
I just recently gave a Gallagher Law Library travel mug to a 3L. We give them to 1Ls during orientation each fall, but who knows where this young man’s mug was? So now he has a 2010 edition. And he’s a loyal library user forever, no doubt.