Business

Every once in a while I read an article that makes me cringe.  This week's was from Tuesday's Wall Street Journal.  Did you know that a study released last year by the University of Arizona found that grocery carts from 60 Los Angeles grocery stores had exponentially more bacteria than what they had measured in 100 public restrooms, from toilet seats to flush handles?  That is really gross!

Over the last few years some grocers have offered cleansing-wipe dispensers near the carts - but what does that communicate to the customer?  We offer you use of our dirty carts, but if you want to clean them yourself, feel free.  That is not service.  That is lazy.  It is also impersonal and, frankly, uncaring - i.e., we know that our carts are bacterially infested, but we are willing to let you, our customer, use them in this condition anyway. 

Steps in Pure Cart Systems.  For about $7,000 your local grocery store can now buy a shopping-cart wash that disinfects grocery carts.  The wash looks and acts like a miniature car wash.  Fairly cheap, quick, and the burden is on the grocer to keep the carts clean.  By the time the customer steps in, the cart is disinfected. 

This is remarkable.  What an opportunity for a grocer to differentiate itself and show customers that they care about them.  The grocer is creating a story that is ancillary to the purpose that the customer is even there.  Most of us don't think much about the cart when grocery shopping, but grocers can now use this to be part of their story - part of the experience - a positive message that customers will tell others about. 

I want my firm, Alerding Castor, to be this.  I want us to go the extra mile to ensure that clients feel taken care of and create a positive message about their experience with our business law firm.  We succeed as our clients succeed.  We are in this together.  We are partnering in success.