Lack of Human Connection in Customer Relationships

It's the early 1970's, and my grandfather owned a family business in a fairly large city. The business was doing well, and quickly became part of the local business community. It was common at the time for his employees to eat lunch at one of the local restaurants. They offered quick, low-priced lunches that became a staple in the city. One of those restaurants also offered a high-class style of dining in the evening. Big juicy steaks, nice fish, and more expensive meals.

The owner of this local restaurant decided to expand the building where the restaurant was located. There was an unused building next to the restaurant that could be easily converted to more seating area. The only issue was that the owner of the restaurant needed to take out a business loan to purchase the adjcent building.

Originally, the bank denied the loan, likely for reasons related to the profitability of restaurants in the area. Banks are not known for taking risks, and this can be problematic to business owners with an eye on growing their business. The restaurant owner was frustrated, and did not know how to proceed.

This is where my grandfather entered the scene. As friend of the restaurant owner (he was a frequent patron there), he knew how good the food was at this restaurant, and knew that the owner was an upstanding businessman. It also happened that my grandfather used the same bank which had turned down the restaurant loan. The bank officer quickly understood that my grandfather and the restaurant owner were acquaintenances.

"Do you know (the restaurant owner)?" asked the bank officer.

"I do, I eat at his restaurant all the time. The food is good there." replied my grandfather.

"He asked us for a loan to expand the restaurant," said the bank officer, "and if you vouch for him, then that is good enough for me."

Needless to say, my grandfather gave his wholehearted support, knowing the restaurant owner was good for his word. The owner got his loan, expanded the restaurant, and is still in business today. I've eaten there, and it's a nice place.

Trust like this only comes from knowing people as an individual, not as just another "customer." With the continued push of commercialism, business growth at all costs, and the desire to maximize profits above all else, we have lost our connection to other human beings. We fail to take the time to understand that the person sitting across the desk from you is a person, likely with a family or others that depend on them. Each of us must go home at night and think about how our messages and tone were received by others. Did you help another person today, or did you minimize them in the name of profits?

There are numerous articles published indicating that companies often find it more profitable to create hassles for customers when those customers reach out for support. That dropped call while you were waiting on hold? It might have been intentional. Insurers have been investigated for automatically denying claims, knowing that only a handful of people will take the time to go through the lengthy appeal process. It's all done in the name of reducing customer support staff, minimizing returns, and thus putting more money in the pocks of the shareholders.

But it doesn't have to be like this. Customers are likely to recommend a business where they have a close personal relationship with an employee or owner, or where they feel connected. Making money is nice, but sometimes enough is enough. The benefits from forming a close community with smaller businesses greatly outweigh having a billion-dollar company to order a product from which arrives in 15 minutes. And when disaster strikes, such as a tornado, you can bet the billion-dollar company will not have your back the way a small local business will.

This is why I'm taking my business to those smaller shops, the ones where I can feel like everyone knows my name.