Austin Brown
Retailing Management
Nordstrom’s
Nordstrom’s has a reputation for great service that has yet to be duplicated by any competitors. At first glance it actually seems ridiculous the strides they go to make the customer feel special. However it actually seems to work remarkably well and Nordstrom’s doesn’t just make the customer feel special. They enable there employees freedom that gives them a real sense of purpose.
The corporate philosophy of Nordstrom’s is one that I have personally never have heard of. At the heart of there customer first philosophy is the floor sales people. These people are given incentives that are unimaginable to competitor’s sales men. A great example of this is the freedom to help any customer in any department at any time. This ensures that customers are always being helped and employees are never bogged down in a slow department. It also enables the employee to earn more commission while at the same time get to know a customer on a personal level. The biggest weapon that employees are given is the ability to act independently and make their own choices on the floor. I find this to be an outstanding policy. Sales people know the customer better than some board member who makes a list of company’s policies that aren’t applicable on the ground level. Nordstrom’s also promotes from within there own stores. This helps to weed out bad employees while at the same time rewarding those who excel. Customer complaints are also kept down by an unconditional return policy. This creates less tension in the store and keeps the customer coming back for more. It is left completely up the employee to decide whether the customer is taking advantage or actually telling the truth. The independence that Nordstrom’s gives to there employees is the key to there success.
This key is how Nordstrom’s is able to close all the gaps in customer expectations. It can gain a through understanding of the knowledge gap by the one on one...