$316,800.
That’s a lot of money. For food.
Yet, in over 22 years of feeding my large family that is about what we have spent on groceries.
For years we shopped at the grocery store that was convenient (less than a mile and half from our house). We also bought gas and prescriptions there, another $50k to that figure above.
Recently a new store opened in our town – a store that was our favorite when we lived in Florida. Now we drive to this new store that’s less convenient, has a smaller selection, costs a little more, and doesn’t sell gas.
Why?
Because they care.
They care about customers more than any other grocery store in our area.
They care about your shopping experience. Every time we shop there, we are welcomed, sometimes even by name! While shopping, if you can’t find an item, they don’t tell you which aisle it’s on; they take you right to it. It doesn’t matter if you ask a bagger or the store manager. They know their store and the products they carry. If there’s a price discrepancy, they don’t make you prove it, they apologize for the confusion and sometimes even charge you less than the price you expected.
They care about their appearance. Associates (not employees) are neatly dressed with their branded colors wearing a visible name tag. The store is spotlessly clean. The shelves always look fully stocked because during slower shifts, associates move items to the front of the shelf both to make it easier to put in a shopping cart and to improve the visual appeal of the store. Their floors are cleaned nightly, the restrooms are well maintained, the parking lot is free of debris, and if a customer or employee makes a mess, it is cleaned quickly.
They care about quality. Their fresh produce is not only attractively displayed, but also substantially superior to their competitors. They work with and visit farmers to source locally grown products. They encourage sustainable farming practices to preserve natural resources and reduce transportation emissions.
They care about their people and their community. Before new hires start working, they have been trained extensively. Before each shift, associates gather with their manager for a pep talk and store updates so that they are prepared to create exceptional experiences for their customers. They make sure associates are treated well. They support the local community through philanthropic efforts focusing on alleviating hunger, reducing homelessness, supporting youth programs, and encouraging education initiatives. Many of the buildings at my alma mater, Florida Southern College Lakeland Florida were financed by this store.
Many years ago, I was shopping at this store during a time when I was really struggling. The young man who was bagging my groceries recognized that I wasn’t myself that day. Before I left the store, he had quickly purchased a card and wrote a short encouraging note that I kept for many years.
Does caring about a lot of little things matter? In the 4th quarter of 2024, this grocery chain had a net margin of 17.14%, higher than all their competitors according to CSIMarket.com. They have the lowest turnover in the grocery industry – around 4% compared with other stores that can exceed 50%. They have been included on Fortune’s list of “100 Best Companies to Work For” numerous times.
Airline executive Jan Carlson once said, “Quality doesn’t mean we have to be 100 percent better in any one thing; it means we strive to be 1 percent better in 100 things.”
Publix Super Markets has implemented this simple principle brilliantly by being a step better than everyone else in almost every way.
Your organization can do it too.
