Bruce’s Wealth Blog

Mouse Goes Postal

     Orlando, FL.  Mickey Mouse, beloved husband of Minnie Mouse, was arraigned today on charges of murder, assault, battery, destruction of public property, and various weapons charges.  Goofey, attorney for Mr. Mouse, announced that the defense team would be pursuing an insanity defense. The esteemed attorney went on to say, “For eighty years my client has been trained by Disney to provide the best in customer service.  Due to the increased price of gasoline and fuel oil, he was forced to get a second job which he secured with the United States Postal Service (USPS).  The USPS insistence that my client significantly reduce the quality of the service he provides postal customers was too much for him to bear.  As a result he was pushed over the edge and committed this heinous crime against his co-workers.”  Mr. Mouse’s best friend Donald Duck was out at sea and not available for comments.  While this reporter cannot confirm that Mr. Mouse’s dog, Pluto, had been advised of the situation, I did witness the faithful dog growling at an approaching mail carrier.  There will be more on this story tomorrow.

Obviously, this article is not real.  I am not trying to make light of the horrific and infamous acts of violence that put, “Going Postal,” in the dictionary, nor am I encouraging anyone to resort to violence as a means to solve disagreements.  But looking at the difference between the customer service provided by the USPS and the customer service provided by Disney can reveal important clues we can use to grow our businesses.

What actually got me thinking about customer service was an incident I had with the USPS.  A little over a week ago, I ordered a movie from Amazon.  I had been following the movement of the movie over the last week, and it was supposed to be delivered today.  As I peered through the window with child like anticipation, I saw the mail carrier approach the mailbox.  My pulse quickened as the carrier opened the door of the mailbox and placed several items in.  Some of these items were larger than normal letters, so I knew that my movie had to be in one of those packages.  The carrier closed the mailbox and as he moved away.  My feet were like wings as I swooped down to get my much anticipated movie.  As I am sure you have already guessed, the movie was not there.

I walked with great disappointment back into my office and logged into the Internet to confirm when the movie was supposed to arrive. The Amazon web site confirmed that I was supposed to receive the movie today.  So I got the tracking number and called the post office.  The woman I spoke with told me she couldn’t do anything until the end of the month. I asked what I thought was a reasonable question, “It only took one day to get from Des Plaines, Illinois to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Why is it taking more than five days to get from Philadelphia to York?”  She explained that Amazon used a different carrier to get it to Philadelphia.  It was clear that I was getting nowhere with her, so I asked to speak with a supervisor.  The supervisor told me that the normal delivery time is two to nine days anywhere in the country.  So I asked if I can expect it will be delivered this week, and he said, “That’s possible.”  “That’s possible?” I asked.  He said he could not guarantee that it would be there this week.  “Next week?”  I asked.  He said, “That’s possible.”  “This month?” I asked.  He said, “That’s possible.”  Out of complete exasperation, I finally asked, “This year?”  And he replied, “That’s possible.”  I confirmed, “You mean you cannot guarantee I will get my package entrusted to your care at anytime this year?” To which he replied, “I can’t make that guarantee.” I could not help but laugh.  I thanked him and terminated the call.  I actually resent having to pay $0.42 to mail a letter and I also resent the fact that the rate will increase annually.

Compare this to Disney.  The last time I was at Disney World, I had a great time.  I paid about 33% higher for the hotel room than I would have for a non-Disney room.  I paid nearly twice what I would have paid for my meals just about anywhere else.  The souvenirs were also higher than one would expect.  And yet, I would do the same thing again.  Why is it that I would willingly and cheerfully spend hundreds or thousands of dollars more for a vacation and I resent paying 42 cents to mail a letter.   Maybe it is because whenever I saw a Disney employee they were smiling.  Maybe it is because every time I had a question I got a prompt and cheerful answer.  Maybe it is because Disney made sure I felt like I deserved the best.  Maybe it is because when I had a problem (which was rare) at Disney, they said, “Yes Mr. Norton! Let me fix it for you.”

If Disney ran the post office, the answer to my first question would probably have been, “Mr. Norton, I am sorry you didn’t get the package when you expected to.  I cannot solve your problem right now because we need to trace it, however, I am going to put a trace on it right away.  It will take a day or two to get the results of the trace, and I will personally call you to discuss it when it comes in.  Is there anything else you would like me to do for you?”  The cheerful response, implementation of a plan, and promise of a personal response would have been enough for me.  I don’t expect miracles, no one does.  I just want to know someone cares to take care of my needs.

So how does this pertain to the investor?

We are in an environment where many national gurus have taught all of us to grab the deed, get powers of attorney, and other acts that are designed to keep the seller from backing out of a deal.  Now legislators all over the country are specifically dealing with these predatory practices and criminalizing them.  All over the country it is becoming unlawful to charge up front fees for foreclosure work.  So if you can’t get your money up front, how do you ensure you will get paid for your efforts.  The answer lies with Disney.  The key is found in good communication, good follow through, and a nurturing relationship.  You need to keep your client informed as to what is going on.  Even if there is nothing new, you need to initiate a call to tell your client there is nothing new. When your client calls you need to return the call quickly.  If you don’t know the answer, tell your client you don’t know then research it and call back with the answer.  And most importantly, remember it may just be a deal to you, it is a personal loss for your client.  You need to treat them with compassion and empathy.  Do these things, and you won’t have to be predatory to get paid for your efforts.

Bruce..