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Here at OQL we just finished an informative 8 part series about business.  Today, I’d like to focus entirely on personal experience as it relates to me, the customer, not the businessman.

In the last year, there have been two major businesses who embody how to do things exactly wrong.  Two major American companies with millions in assets and sales who are flat clueless.

Whereas there are tons of reasons the American economy is in recession (soon to be depression), one stands out in my service oriented mind.

If you lack customer service and you couple that with idiocy, you will be flying to DC to ask for a bailout.  At some point, we need to let mismanaged companies die as hard as that is on workers.  But I digress.

I’ll only discuss one fine company here today.  Direct TV.

My wife and I have been loyal customers of Direct TV for about 7 years (ever since moving into our most recent house).  Big screen, HD, you name it capability on the tube.  A couple of months ago, we decided to see if Direct TV would give us an HD receiver etc…since friends of ours said they would do so if you asked.  Not only did they not, they managed to lose our business entirely as we switched to Dish.

But here is the point.  We only wanted what they offer to every NEW subscriber.  We’ve been with them, paying them, loyal to them, for 7 years.  They would not budge.  So, we quit them and are now with Dish TV.

We got everything we wanted with Dish.  No more than a week later, Direct TV was sending flyers and emails begging us to come back and offering us what?  Yep, you guessed it, exactly what we asked for to stay with them in the first place.

Verizon did something similar to us a year or so ago, but stopped short when we were on the brink of leaving them.

What is it with American industry that new customers are more important than old (loyal) customers?  Business has lost something with this attitude.  Never should you sacrifice an earned customer for a new, unknown one.

Spend time keeping customers happy.  Do not sacrifice that time in pursuit of new ones.  It’s not going to work out in the long run.  I’ve lost ONE down line dealer in my history with AMSOIL, and even he was a gifted (relative) who had no intention on staying in the business.  Before you reach out to the masses (millions), make sure the ones you have are well taken care of.