Is your company too big for its own good?
Size amplifies culture, for better or for worse. That's why most enterprise-sized corporations are such disappointments in the human arena - their leadership is mediocre at best, and so it duplicates itself in the form of... you guessed it, mediocrity.
Compare that to Wegmans, the grocer that keeps growing - slowly but steadily - and keeps winning lifelong loyalty from its customers, year after year, store after store, region after region. Or Nordstrom: same deal - they're always amazing, coast-to-coast. Or Four Seasons Hotel. Travel the world, and Four Seasons is stunningly great no matter where you land.
Excellence is contagious. Culture doesn't just matter, it is the only thing that matters. Ignore this law of business at your peril.
*****
Barnes & Noble update
Are you ready for the latest on my friend Ken's Barnes & Noble saga? Here it is...
Nothing new. He has still not connected with anyone at B&N on Twitter or via their customer (dis)service 800 line. Wow, nice going, guys.
Meanwhile, have you read The NY Times' article on the technical aspects of the Nook today? These guys have more than just a customer service problem, it seems.
Is your company too big for its own good?
[Ken's story is two entries down.]
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ted,
ReplyDeleteYou called out three of my favs. Here's the two common elements all these companies possess: 1. to your title, they have resisted the pressures from investors to grow beyond their capacity to service customers (hear that Circuit City?) and they put employees even ahead of customers. Heck, its part of Wegmans' mission and values. Treat your employees right and empower them and they will carry the banner for your brand.