CHAPTER 1
IMAGE
Mother always said, "Robert ...don't forget what your last name is; you represent all of us, not just yourself."
Every morning when I left for school or went out to play, Mother would holler before I was out of earshot, "Don't forget what your last name is; you represent all of us, not just yourself!" Certainly, such messages were to some extent were intended to warn me to "behave." In a staunchly religious Eastern Orthodox family, respect and good behavior topped the list of life's rules, and breaking those rules were considered a relative capital offense, which meant severe verbal admonitions that bordered on inquisitions. No matter how harsh the words, however, they were delivered in a lesson format that required behavioral modifications if privileges were to be restored.
Our Western Pennsylvania community, a suburb of Pittsburgh was a true melting pot of Europeans who came to America. Serbians, Greeks, Italians, Jews, Poles and other Eastern European groups settled in this steel town. Cleanliness, honesty, respect and hard work were the value cornerstones of all these groups.
As I approached the transitional period from boyhood to manhood, I was ready one day for the usual refrain. As I went out the door on my way to school, Mother shouted, "Robert, have a nice day and don't forget ..." Before she could finish, I said, "Excuse me, Mother. I know it by heart. 'Don't forget what my last name is,' Right?" Her immediate reaction was one of surprise, followed by a rather smug but approving smile. Her reaction led me to ask, "Did I say something funny?" She replied, "No. Just think it only took you thirteen years to remember!"
She went on to say that each of us individually accountable for our actions, and remember that each person's behavior reflects on the family and community. In small ethnic communities, news travels fast, especially bad news, especially when it came to tarnishing the family name.
The shoe store where my mother worked had developed an excellent reputation over the years. Although the store did not have a written mission statement, known for providing high-quality shoes at a reasonable price. In this, it was not unlike other stores, except it stood far above its competitors when it came to customer serve and overall flexibility. That commitment translated into personalized attention, no matter how big or small the purchase. Any complaint was met with immediate action and customer-accepted resolution.
One day after running several errands for my mother, I returned to my mother's store, when in walked a customer that demanding to see a salesperson. My mother walked over to him and asked if she could be of help. It was during the holiday season, which meant the store was brimming with happy holiday shoppers. He responded in a loud and irritable voice, "Yes! I bought these shoes here and they fell apart. I DEMAND A FULL REFUND!" His voice was so loud, everyone in the store turned to identifying its source.
Ignoring his outburst, Mother carefully examined the shoes—their condition was pre-Civil War. She then asked if he had a receipt—an etched stone tablet would have been more like it. This did not lessen his demand. She went on to ask when he bought the shoes—he couldn't remember. It became obvious, he was trying to 'bully' his way to getting a refund. In the meantime, a hush fell over the store as everyone waited to see how my mother handled the situation.
She asked him to wait a moment, while she checked with the owner. She explained the situation to Mr. Chamovitz. "Before I give you my opinion, what do you think is the best way to handle it?" She did not hesitate. "Well, I recommend we give him a refund, even though he doesn't have a receipt." When Morris asked why, she explained that the store was full of good customers, and the incident drew so much attention, she felt she could turn a negative situation into a positive one. He agreed.
She returned to the customer and thanked him for waiting. "Sir, it is store policy that customers provide a receipt or some type of information to verify that the shoes were purchased here. I'm sure you can understand why we have such a policy, but ..." Before she continued, he interrupted. "I'VE HEARD ENOUGH ... I WANT TO SPEAK WITH THE OWNER!" She did not react to his outburst, instead she commonly, but firmly stated, "That won't be necessary, I've spoken with the owner and he's given me permission to give you a full refund, but under one condition." The customer quieted and asked, "What condition?" She said that he would have to fill out his name, address and telephone number for their records. In addition, any future refunds he might request would have to meet the store's policy of having a receipt.
He filled out the information, took the money and immediately left the store without a 'thank you' or any form of acknowledgment. After he left, my teenage mind needed to resolve why she gave him a refund, when it was obvious he was lying. She offered her usual quietly confident smile and explained. "Even though there is a store policy, there were other factors involved. With the number of customers in the store, the situation became an opportunity, not a problem." I asked, "But what's going to happen now that everyone in the store saw you break the store policy? Won't they try and do the same thing on day?"
She reassured me that it was highly unlikely, because most were long- standing customers and knew I was making an exception to rid the store of a less than honest customer. "You see Robert, by stating the store policy, it's very unlikely he'll ever come back; but even if he does, he better have a receipt—not only that, people like him are always trying to take advantage of someone, and rarely try to pull the same trick twice." I was beginning to get the bigger picture. This lesson served me well later in the business world, when being 'right' turned into being 'dead right.'
Everything that each employee says or does paints a portrait, or image, of the company they represent, whether at work or in public. Companies spend millions of dollars to develop a specific image, or brand, of how the market perceives its name, products or services. When we mention a specific name, for example, Coca Cola, an immediate image or experience comes to mind, i.e., the product and its relative quality and value.
Once when speaking before a sales force of a highly regarded lumber company, one of the participants, the company's number one salesperson, raised his hand and shared an unlikely admission, "Robert, I want to ask your opinion about one of my major accounts. Two years ago, he quit doing business with us, and if that wasn't bad enough, ever since then, he's been on a one man's crusade to share with anyone who will listen, the supposed injustice he had to bear." You could hear a pin drop. I was shocked, along with everyone else in the room, including the company's...
