May-Jun 2010.indd - Commissaries.com

Customer comments have been positive in
recent months. I’ve had customers seek me out to
share positive comments about the good things
employees are doing and how they enjoy shopping
in the store. Genuine praise and approval
from customers are like psychological pay for
employees. They love it when customers recognize
their hard work and take the time to say so, and
customers love it when employees appreciate their
business and show it with personal attention.
The old saying, “You get more flies with honey
than vinegar,” holds true for both customer and
employee.
Whiting Field: Most of the customer feedback I get
involves the complimenting of an employee for
helping a customer find a product. We pride
ourselves on keeping tabs on customer satisfaction
right here in the store, anticipating problems or
issues before they occur and working to prevent
them, so our customers leave happy and return
time and again.
Cecylia Simons, student store associate at McClellan
Commissary, Calif., greets her customers with a smile. DeCA
photo: Nancy O’Nell
16 decavision 2010�Vol. 19, No. 3
Wiesbaden: As a whole, Wiesbaden customers are
very pleased with the exceptional customer service
our employees deliver. I receive very favorable
comments from the installation commander,
soldiers, spouses and family members on a
continuous basis.
What are your employees communicating to
you on the subject of customer service?
Incirlik: They feel they have personal involvement
with our customers; meeting their needs gives
them a sense of accomplishment. As a result, they
have also developed a better working relationship
with their co-workers.
Wiesbaden: The employees understand the
importance of being the best of the best in
customer service. All stores have products to offer;
Wiesbaden offers products along with a smile.
What would you, as a manager, like
to see next in the form of training
for the agency?
Incirlik: I would like to see people from
different stores exchange ideas — share
best practices — to learn from each
other.
McGuire: We have so many talented
employees who have great potential for
future leadership positions within our
agency, but most classes are presently
designed for management. I would like
to see classes for meat, produce, grocery,
CARTS — the Commissary Advanced
Resale Transaction System, front end,
back office work — accounting — and
computer-assisted ordering that are
one- or two-week sessions specifically
designed for store associates to gain
both operational and apprentice-type
management instruction to prepare
them for entry-level, lead, supervisory or
management positions. Upon completion
of designated criteria, graduating store
associates could apply for a newly
specialized future leadership career
recruiting pool that would qualify them
to bridge the gap into management. Such
an idea would give stores flexibility to