February 26, 2021
 
Dear Grandchildren:
 
This month, I’m focusing my letter on why people or businesses are successful or not. I believe the primary reason is customer satisfaction. Let me explain.
 
In 1951, your great-grandfather C. Glen Catt had a desire to open his own grocery store under his name, Glen’s Market. At the time, he was a store manager for a company downstate where he received his training. He borrowed money, bought used equipment, and opened his dream store in Gaylord, Michigan.
 
When Glen and Doris came to Gaylord, they took over a grocery store building, which just went out of business. When Glen opened his store, many in Gaylord thought he was crazy because they already had a good grocery store called A & P Food Store. But they didn’t realize how much impact Glen and Doris would have on winning customers to their business.
 
A & P was started in 1859. They were well stocked and well thought of throughout Michigan, the rest of the United States, and Canada. They were the world’s largest retailer, with over 16,000 stores and thousands of employees. They had everything going for them, so why did they eventually go out of business? Low customer satisfaction!
 
Glen treated every customer as an opportunity to make a good impression. Every day, customer service was the number one goal. At A & P, they advertised a good game, but their follow-through didn’t match their advertising. The A & P employees were making on average, twice what a Glen’s Market employee was making, but these A & P employees looked at their union contract as their security and week-by-week customers drifted over to Glen’s Market. A & P forgot the number one principle: serving customers is why we are in business.
 
No matter what kind of business you’re in, how you serve your customers will usually determine how successful you will be. Many people go into business to make money, but the key is to provide outstanding customer service to your customers and the profits will follow.
 
Glen’s success happened quickly: he opened his second store in Kalkaska in 1955, third store in Grayling in 1959, and fourth store in East Jordan in 1963. In the end, Glen’s Market had 26 stores, and A & P finally closed their stores in 2015.
 
The principle is always the same. How good is your customer service?
 
Well, Grandchildren, that was a quick history of your great-grandfather and great-grandmother. They had a dream, then worked hard to live it to the best of their ability.
 
Until next month,
 
Love,
Grandpa
 

Featured Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay