The Customer is #1

Imagine you sell something that is in such demand that people will camp out in rain and freezing temperatures for 3 nights in order to be in line to buy it. And then imagine that those waiting to spend their hard-earned money on your product actually have fun while waiting for all those hours.
That's exactly the position the Cincinnati Reds are in. They have created just such a product, but it's not all about getting tickets for Opening Day. It's not just about the game.
The owners of the Reds, led by Bob Castellini, adhere to the philosophy that the customer is the number one priority. The management team and the marketing department never forget that the success of the team is directly related to the satisfaction of the fans. This morning on Fountain Square, I witnessed the Reds customer service program in action.
I arrived a little before 7:00 am. Those who had spent the night in tents and sleeping bags were starting to pack up, and a quiet line of fans snaked around the Square. I had hardly found my place at the end of the line, when the John Morrell Rally Pack team showed up with coffee and doughnuts for everyone in sight. Reds highlights began playing on the big screen tv overhead as fans began to really anticipate the start of the 9:00 am ticket sale. Soon, the mascots Mr. Red, Rosie Red, and Gapper began to mingle among the crowd. Rosie Red and Mr. Red each spent at least 10 minutes entertaining two young boys near me in line, throwing a ball and pretending to steal the boys doughnuts. The father grinned from ear to ear because he knew, even if he couldn't get the coveted tickets, his kids were making Reds memories that would last a long time. Next the Rally Pack Team passes out Reds towels to everyone and conducted a trivia contest with autographed prizes for the winners. At exactly 9:00 am, the line started to move in a very orderly fashion. The Reds were well-staffed to sell the tickets efficiently in a big tent out of the weather. Each successful purchaser who emerged from the tent with tickets in hand was high-fived and cheered by the mascots and the Rally Pack.
After about 25 minutes, I was within a few people of the ticket tent, but unfortunately, my part of the story doesn't have a good ending. The Reds spokesman took the microphone and announced with regret that the 1500 tickets were, in fact, sold out. Sure, I was among the disappointed, but I felt my 2 hours were well-spent as I got another good lesson in customer service. The Reds didn't have to distribute coffee, doughnuts, and towels. They didn't have to bring the spirit crew and a full contingent of ticket sellers. They would have easily sold the tickets without any of the extras. However, the extras are what made me feel as if my experience was worthwhile, and the extras are what made me think the Reds care about ME.
What a good lesson for any business...Show the customer that he's #1, and you'll be way ahead of the game.

What's a Nice Little QR Code Doing at a Fresh Produce Market?

Have you seen the little square bar codes that seem to be popping up everywhere? I think I first saw one in a magazine, but then I started noticing them on boxes, labels, and billboards. They're called QR Codes, and they're packed with information.
The concept of QR Codes originated at Toyota as a way to track parts used in manufacturing. It didn't take long for people to figure out the codes had other applications in fields such as marketing, education, and communication. For you newbies, you scan the QR Code with a special reader, and you'll immediately be linked to a website, photo, video, or written text. The really cool thing is that the readers are available on most smartphones so anyone can unlock the QR Code. By holding the phone over the little square bar code, you'll be taken to an expanded level of information.
We've started experimenting with QR Codes at Daisy Mae's Market at Findlay Market. We have codes that link to our Facebook and Twitter pages, and we have codes that link to "How-to" videos such as how to grill vegetables. I was thrilled last week when I saw two young customers literally "flip out" when they tried the codes. One of the girls actually said, "I feel like a kid with a new toy!" In a matter of seconds, the girls had become fans on Facebook and followers on Twitter.
We'll see where the future takes us as QR Codes become more commonplace. For now, take out your phone the next time you're at Daisy Mae's and see what you can learn from our QR Codes.

Findlay Market and the Neighborhood Enhancement Program

For the past few years, the City of Cincinnati has selected several areas to include as part of the award-winning Neighborhood Enhancement Program. The Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP) brings together a collaboration of city departments, local residents, businesses, and community organizations that focus on "enhancing" a specific part of the city during a 90-day period. This year the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood surrounding Findlay Market was chosen as the first focal point for NEP. Today Cincinnati's City Manager Milton Dohoney stood at the doorstep of the market house to recognize the entities involved in this collective effort and to kick off the 90-day blitz.
The Neighborhood Enhancement Program focuses on crime, building code violations, litter, and blight. Even though crime in Over-the-Rhine has decreased 50% in the last 5 years, Police Chief Tom Streicher spoke about the need to get tougher. In fact, Cincinnati Police have been working undercover in the area since the fall and had targeted 13 individuals as "Most Wanted." By Monday of this week, Cincinnati's WLWT.com reported that 9 of the 13 had been apprehended.
Also this week, I noticed that volunteers were painting several vacant buildings around Findlay Market. At the same time, a nearby alley well-known as a drug hangout was boarded up. Most of the NEP activities are similar in that the program emphasizes quick, relatively inexpensive changes such as fixing broken windows, repairing street lights, cleaning up litter, and painting. Evidence shows that these simple improvements are often enough to change attitudes and overcome misperceptions.
Today at the NEP kickoff, I was excited to see all the different organizations that care about preserving and improving this historic neighborhood. The next 90 days should be even more exciting as we see what takes shape around Findlay Market.