Where Have All The Mom and Pop Stores Gone?
Part 1
Recently I was talking to an associate about a new shopping center being built in our area. She lamented that “there goes more Mom and Pop stores”. I asked her “Why the long face about that store”?. She told me that she would miss the personal connection to the people who worked there, and that she was afraid that all of these same type stores were destined for closure.
My friend perked up a little when I informed her that the “Mom and Pop” stores were not going to disappear off the scene of “Americana”. It’s just that they have simply moved to a new location, and they were doing well. She was wondering where this new store was situated, but first I asked her “What do you think you will miss the most”?
As we lament the decline of the “Mom and Pop” establishments, and the rise of the mega-store, what do we think will be missing? Is it the small spaces of the store, or the family members scurrying around to stock the shelves and tend to the business? Do you suppose it is the caring attitude of these workers, have as they tend to their jobs? What really will we miss?
Maybe we will miss the personal interaction with the owner and his family. Perhaps it will occur to us that if we have a question, or a problem, there will be a real live person we can talk with. Sometimes we brave the long lines at the Customer Service Desk, only to realize that most of the time they are as confused as we are. Or how do we feel when we call that elusive “800-Customer-No-Service” that is printed in tiny script on the bottom of the item in question.
At times like this we really miss the “Mom and Pop” stores of long ago. Alas these have seemed to have vanished under the “bulldozers of progress”, or have they? Just where are the family run businesses of “yester year”? If you search hard for them, you will find them making a welcomed comeback. But where? You need help searching, maybe Yahoo, Google, MSN or another Search Engine.
True many of the E-commerce sites are owned and operated by families, “Mom and Pops”, and their goal is the same as the brick-and-mortar “Mom and Pop” stores. They strive for that personal service, good prices and good quality, fair and reasonable shipping, and quick response time. This receptive attitude is not only to process your order but to follow up on delivery and any issues the customer may have.
These entrepreneurs know that what sets companies apart on the Internet is going the extra mile. Just like the “Mom and Pop” stores of brick-and-mortar, if customers have a question, how do we respond? Suppose a complaint arises, should we remind them that we are not the supplier, or help correct the problem? We will explore the aspects in the next article.
Jim Raley and his wife Lois are the owners of a home based business that relies heavily on Customer Satisfaction to generate new sales and increase their company’s sales. http://www.raleysgifts.com/
