Real You: When a hurricane hits you in the heartland, we appreciate the little things
Posted on | September 19, 2008 | 2 Comments
    OK, so, if you don’t live in the Heartland, you probably aren’t aware that we were hit with Category One Hurricane Winds from Ike. Granted, we didn’t come close to the suffering and destruction the Gulf Coast, especially Texas, faces, but we were hit hard enough that the Governor declared a state of emergency. And, all of our power crews were down south, so there was no one to help us. School has been canceled for five days, and our power just came on at home yesterday. Four digital kids, two air-conditioned accustomed cats, a nervous dog and my husband and I celebrated the return of power like electricity was, once again, a magical blessing. After cleaning out my refrigerator and tossing hundreds of dollars of food, throwing away all of the used candles and various water bottles strewn about, I went in search of gasoline for my car and food for my family.
Here’s what I found: lines and empty shelves. Everywhere. Many gas stations and grocery stores were closed. Stores that were open, were barren. Except one. Whole Foods. I drove down the street, carefully, as all of the stop lights were out, I noticed a chalk board sign on the side of the road: “Free Ice! Stop in!” Whole Foods Market had brought in semi-trucks of ice, parked them in their stores’ parking lots in Central Ohio, and were handing out bags to grateful people throughout my neighborhood, and the others where their stores are located. Inside, while the store wasn’t completely stocked, it was well-stocked and well-staffed. The prepared meals were plenttiful and going fast. The staff was friendly and helpful. You felt a team spirit inside, survival mode, organic style. This is a culture of caring. (For more on the WFM culture, read this blog post by John Moore.) It is amazing. Grocers who have been in our marketplace for more than 50 or 60 years simply closed the doors. Not Whole Foods Markets.
You know what? We’ll remember those free bags of ice around here for a long time to come. When it seemed everyone else had forgotten Ohio, one company remembered and helped. The stores also offered cell phone charging and free WiFi to all. That was amazing! The Whole Foods blog – The Whole Story – featured the Central Ohio troubles in addition to the Houston story. This is great corporate compassion, true local outreach and lifetime customer building at its best. And it felt genuine.
What have you done for your customers lately? When you’re marketing to women, never forget we remember the random acts of kindness. We’ll share your good deeds with our friends, and you’ll have our loyalty for life. (Unless, of course, you do something later to ruin that trust.) Corporate caring and compassionate involvement in the community where you make a profit is expected these days, not just an added extra. It needs to be part of your company’s DNA. When it is, we know.
Act with genuine concern, with small deeds and no publicity. We’ll find out. We’ll share. And, we’ll thank you. Thanks Whole Foods!
For more on customer loyalty, check out Real Fact #6 in Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs.
Kaira Sturdivant Rouda is the creator of Real Living, the first women-focused real estate brand. She has more than 20 years of experience marketing to women and is the author of Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs. To learn more, visit www.RealYouIncorporated.com and join the community or check out her blog.Â
Tags: customer loyalty > hurricane > Ohio > random acts of kindness > Whole Foods Market
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2 Responses to “Real You: When a hurricane hits you in the heartland, we appreciate the little things”
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September 23rd, 2008 @ 6:39 am
This story reminds me of walking into the Whole Foods store in Union Square, NYC. It was amazing. Full of people ranging from NYC students to hippies and typical New York CEO, yet in the middle of Manhattan you felt a sense of community and love.(The grocery store around the corner didn’t have this feel at all) The sense of community and love shows in the workers, the food, even the layout and organization of the three story store (with escalators for shopping carts)! I highly recommend just walking around the store if you get the chance. Anyway- I love your story. It makes me smile to know community and caring for customers is still important to some companies.
September 26th, 2008 @ 7:13 am
Thanks for the comment Marie! I’m glad to know you feel the same thing, too. It’s great when the company is consistent nationally as well as locally. That makes me smile, too!