A comment was received on Dear Vivian that clearly points out why some company policies are just not worth enforcing. Here's what happened.
An elderly woman picked up a catalogue from a department store and found it too heavy and awkward to carry. When the woman requested a bag from the clerk, she was told it was against store policy to give out a bag without a purchase. The woman then went to a different department in the store where she got the same response. It was not until visiting an entirely different store that she received a bag from someone that was more than happy to help.
The woman stated she was a former employee of the store, and that she was angry and ashamed by the way she was treated. The woman went on to say that she would never return to the store again, and that she planned to tell everyone she knew about what had happened.
So, do you think losing a loyal customer over a 5 cent bag was worth it? No of course not. How many other customers may have been lost for the same silly reason? I'm not suggesting you should run your business without policies. What I am suggesting is that you look very closely at the impact your policies are having on your customers, and be prepared to modify or eliminate policies that are driving customers away.
Every single interaction that takes place in your business leaves an impression – good or otherwise. And how a customer interprets that interaction will determine their behaviour from that point forward. Make sure you don't have any "5 cent bag" problems getting in the way of your success.
