Why Mindshare? - Glossary

 

Unit-level:

Where problems can best be resolved. Poor service experiences happen at the Unit-level: branch-by-branch, franchise-by-franchise. So, that is where the feedback should be directed and sent: to the individual locations themselves, because that is where the problems can best be resolved.

This rule applies whether it's the Denver office of a large accounting firm or the downtown location of a franchise of seafood restaurants. The main office may be tempted to step in when a problem arises, and have their excellent customer support team deal with a customer's difficult situation. However, research shows that if you're really trying to win over difficult customers, it is best if someone at the same location where the problem occurred is the one who fixes the problem. If you want to encourage the disgruntled customer to return, it only makes sense that the local office/franchise should be the hero in the customer's eye.

Local managers should be held accountable for (1) recovering a customer, and (2) fixing the person or process that needs to be improved.