Bryan said some customers like to be approached. Others, she said, want to see an employee interact with another customer so they can assess whether they’re knowledgeable enough to be trusted with their own question. “We don’t ever want to pressure our customers,” she explained. “But we always want to pay attention to you when you’re in the store.”
Thanks to the True Value co-op, Bryan thought her store can be competitive with the big-box stores on most items. And the new DIY-VIP cards are meant to be a special recognition of their best regulars. The True-Value rewards program isn’t new, she said. If the big-box stores are finally catching on that customer service matters, True Value should take some of the credit.
Our favorite places
This trend could be a reaction to several years of anxiety and stress in a derailed economy. Now that things are improving, no matter how slightly or slowly, there’s competition to get dollars that are available. And shoppers want to feel like they’re spending their money with friends.
Here’s a little more unscientific evidence. My guy and I like to eat out for breakfast. We like diners. A lot. We know enough to arrive early at the Phoenicia Diner to beat the crowds, to arrive not too late at the Pine View Bakery in Shokan for breakfast. We’ve traveled more than once to Pete’s Famous in Rhinebeck and the Red Hook Diner, and could be called frequent fliers at a number of diners in Kingston and Saugerties.
Our favorite places are the little ones where you are immediately pulled into a friendly circle, where you feel like Norm in “Cheers.” We found one such gem in Kingston yesterday, and the owners begged me not to mention where it is. They’re already too busy. I will respect their wishes. Sorry.
