Satisfaction

 

In 1911, Leon Leonwood (“L.L.”) Bean returned from a hunting trip with cold, wet feet.  So, Bean decided to make a better hunting boot.  With the help of a local cobbler, he attached the bottom part of rubber boots to leather uppers.  Bean then decided to start a business.  He touted the benefits of the boots and included a promise that forever shaped the company: “We guarantee them to give perfect satisfaction in every way.”  At first, people weren’t satisfied with the product.  The rubber bottoms separated from the leather uppers and over 90 out of the first 100 pairs were returned.  Bean, however, was committed to his promise and refunded every unhappy customer.  This experience almost ruined L.L.Bean, but there was upside.  It cemented two values that have shaped the company’s business and operating models since 1912:

1. The Golden Rule: “Sell good merchandise at a reasonable profit, treat your customers like human beings, and they will always come back for more.”

2. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: “Our products are guaranteed to give 100% satisfaction in every way.  Return anything purchased from us at any time if it proves otherwise.  We do not want you to have anything from L.L.Bean that is not completely satisfactory.”

Wow!  What a promise and what a commitment!  Hey, I can easily make an application: Jesus Christ always satisfies.  I have met many people in my lifetime who have said “I am away from the Lord, and I need to get back to Him.”  But I have never met a single person who said, “I am dissatisfied with Jesus Christ, and I wish that I had never become a Christian.”  Psalm 16:11, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Customer Service

 

Yesterday, I bought a jar of Bonne Maman Concord grape jam at Publix to see how it compared to my Smucker’s grape jam.  But when I opened it, it had mold all over the top.  Yuck!  Evidently, it had not sealed properly when it was made.  I had already thrown the receipt away but decided to attempt to take it back for an exchange anyway.  The clerk at Publix Customer service was apologetic and told me to go get another jar.  But when I went back to the Bonne Maman section, they were sold out of the Concord grape jam.  So, I selected my other favorite: the Cherry preserves.  I had my story ready for the clerk, but he waved me off saying, “No problem.  No charge.  Sorry for the inconvenience.”  And I was out the door.  Now that was customer service!  Hey, everyone makes a mistake now and then.  The question is: how do you remedy the mistake?  Do you deny it?  Do you shift the blame (to the jelly company)?  Do you look for a loophole (no receipt)?  Or do you own it and do what is right?  Proverbs 22:29, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”  I will go back to Publix.  Yes, I will!

Stray Cat

 

Years ago, my son came home with a stray cat.  He formed a conspiracy with his siblings, negotiated well with his parents, and made all of the right promises.  He got to keep the cat.  But Florence (the new cat’s new name) was trouble right from the beginning.  I came home from a hard day of teaching one day only to find that the cat had taken over my bed.  I shooed her off of my bed, but she hissed at me.  Florence always thought that she was the head of the house, not me.  Then we discovered Florence had fleas.  I sprayed, but 2 days later new flea eggs hatched with more fleas.  I became an expert on the life-cycle of fleas.  I finally got rid of them, a month later and $200 later.  After more negotiations, Florence went to live with my parents in Maryland.  They weren’t as hardened to Florence’s faults as I was.  Hey, do you have friends who are trouble?  Does their poor character pull you down?  Do their bad habits creep into your life?  2026 may be the year to shed them.  I Corinthians 15:33, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”