![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.shaneco.com\/theloupe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/TomInStore09.jpg\" "\\"Tom")
<\/p>\nI am writing this, sitting on a short flight from Salt Lake City, UT to Sacramento, CA.\u00a0 Actually, had the captain\u2019s seat not broken causing our delay, it would have been an even shorter flight\u2026but those of you that fly often can certainly relate to this situation.\u00a0 Last week, I was in four of our stores, and this week I will be in three more.\u00a0 Visiting the stores is one of the more fun parts of my job, and also one of the most important.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When I visit our stores I get to renew acquaintances with the staff, many of whom have been with us for years.\u00a0 I also get to meet the new members of our team.\u00a0 Besides keeping the important feeling of a family owned business engrained on everyone\u2019s mind, I evaluate the judgment of those doing the hiring of our newest team members.\u00a0 They are our Company\u2019s future, after all.<\/p>\n
I also mingle with a few of the customers.\u00a0 I sort of interject myself, deliberately selecting those situations where I can then discuss, after hours with the whole team, what I saw and why I wanted to get involved.\u00a0 To me, these opportunities both allow me to learn how our customers are thinking, and allow me to teach our team, via demonstrations,\u00a0how I want these situations handled in the future.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.shaneco.com\/theloupe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/TomInStore07.jpg\" "\\"Tom")
<\/p>\n
But the real benefit I gain from visiting the stores is to see how we are performing, from the customers\u2019 perspective.\u00a0 I love to understand why customers react as they do, to our products.\u00a0 Also, how they truly feel about our policies, and all other things that are within our control, as well.\u00a0 After each store visit, I go out to dinner with the management team of that store.\u00a0 That way, we can discuss with specificity all of the things I observed.\u00a0 I love to challenge them on why they did or did not suggest a particular item to the \u2018lady in the red sweater\u2019.\u00a0 Of course, my real issue is to be sure that they are using proper logic in dealing with each customer.<\/p>\n
We firmly believe that the customer\u2019s experience is what they will use to determine whether they buy from us or not.\u00a0 It is also what they will remember over the years, as they have future jewelry needs and as they choose to recommend our company to their friends or not.\u00a0 In addition to my son and me, we have 5 other executives that are constantly traveling to our 20 stores.\u00a0 This may seem excessive to some\u2026but when the customer compares their experience with us to other stores, we feel it more than pays for itself.<\/p>\n
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