This statement sent me on an imaginary journey. Service and Starbucks have become synonymous. You can travel anywhere in the United States and most countries around the world and for the most part, your experience will be consistent. Starbucks is not cheap by any means, but can you really put a price on service?? In this particular case my mind wandered to the back-up plan set forth on the cup. If for any reason a person is not perfectly satisfied with a Starbucks drink, it will be made over…no questions asked.
That my friends is both a generous and CONFIDENT guarantee. I feel that Starbucks can make this offer for a number of reasons:
- 1. The product is good
- 2. The culture of the organization is world class
- 3. The training program is second to none
- 4. Their is an ongoing commitment to excellence in every way
- 5. The customer is the heartbeat of the business
I think its safe to say that Starbucks is a safe bet when it comes to a guarantee. Now let’s consider the contrary. Do you remember the scene from the movie Tommy Boy where Chris Farley and David Spade are calling on a local auto parts manufacturing trying to sell brake pads. Farley chases the owner around the floor of his plant pitching the benefits of their product. And do you remember the owner’s reply? The owner explained the value he placed on his current provider’s GUARANTEE. He even went so far to admit he bought his current brake pads from the company because this company physically placed the guarantee on the box. Farley’s response to this predicament was absolutely brilliant…
Tommy tells the store owner that a guarantee is only as good as the man who gives it!
Bypassing the crude humor in this blog post, I will present the case for Farley in more appropriate terms. Farley makes the case to the store owner that a guarantee is only as good as the one who makes it. After suggesting a specific course of action (that much I will omit, but you know what I’m talking about) the store owner changes his mind and gives the verbal commitment to buy the Callahan brake pads!
In summary, my point is to ask you to consider the value of your own word. Are you trustworthy? Do you act with integrity? Do you follow through with your promises?
My favorite definition of commitment: DOING THE THING YOU SAID YOU WOULD DO LONG AFTER THE FEELING IN WHICH YOU SAID IT HAS PASSED…
How Good is Your Guarantee?