Customer Service Case Study: The Marketplace at Jordan Creek (Moments of Clarity)

I've given The Market Place At Jordan Creek numerous free passes. I've spent 20-30 minutes wandering the isles and asking questions of employees. I've queried others on their experiences there. Now, I feel obligated to ask the question of the store's management: Where is the customer service experience? On the scale of 1-10...with 5 being neutral, I'd give the place a 4. Here's why.

I've never been greeted nor has any employee even made eye contact with me while passing by. Most seem interested with performing a task or getting to "the next thing" whatever that is. I offer a fresh clean canvas every time I go into a place like that. It's as though I have a sign hanging that says, "Please paint your masterpiece on me...sell to me, educate me, let me experience this store as though it's an offshoot from my own gourmet kitchen! I will loyally buy and send as many people as possible to increase your revenues if you'll just ask me in!
The meat counter consistently has items that don't look very fresh. The Marketplace only offers Prime Dry Aged Beef. Thus, when I'm spending $19.99/lb vs. $7.99 from Costco, I expect excellence. Today, I stopped by for a coffee at 12:30PM and found all of the meats in the counter still wrapped up in plastic with many slots for more trays vacant. The fish looked a bit dried out around the edges. Again, if I'm buying Ahi Tuna for a gourmet seared rare tuna steak...it better be fresh like nobodies business. Today, a gentleman approached the meat counter while I was there. He asked, "Do you have any lamb or other specialties? The meat clerk replied, "No, just beef, chicken, and pork." The gentleman casually replied, "Sounds like a HyVee or Dahls to me," and walked away. (For non-Iowa readers, those are our supermarket chains in town and to their credit, they have much more attractive meat counters than The Marketplace at this stage.) Now two meat clerks present, they simply sat mute after that statement and the gentlemen went off..most likely to spend his money elsewhere.

This is the kind of store that must have massive overhead. Their inventory is huge. Selection is probably unrivaled. But guess what? It's going to bleed to death slowly unless it makes raving fans out its potential client base.

Please engage someone to train in customer service effectively so that EVERY employee (partner, associate) is engaging the customer and attempting to go above and beyond.

I guarantee that if you took surveys on the experience there for 30 days...then put a black apron on me or many other readers of this blog and you'd get a massive boost in scores and repeat business. (Shall we develop a charity customer service roving team?)

It's simple. Build a connection with those customers and they'll come back because they love you. You aren't selling food and beverages, you're selling an experience. Thus far, my experience is exponentially better at HyVee where I'm greeted by literally every employee that passes me.

If you do pay attention to the blogosphere Market Place management, I'd gladly sit down with you or do some mystery shopping.

Here's their front splash page blurb on how they approach customer service:

We strive to provide exceptional customer service through extensive training for our store associates. Stressing knowledge, courtesy and prompt response to the needs of the customer, our goal is to develop loyal long-term customer relationships. In addition, we strive to develop a long-standing relationship with customers who are interested in pursuing culinary arts with our specialized culinary and cooking events, as well as, guest chef appearances.