Unless you are living with Gilligan on a deserted island or locked in the center of a giant bubble, you know that we are living in bad economic times. Journalists and opinion commentators from both political extremes agree. They base their analysis from the latest disappointing jobs reports, high interest rates and poll after poll revealing that voters have little confidence in the current state of the country’s economy.
As a recent Gallup article on voters’ perceptions of inflation noted, President “Biden’s subpar rating could have significant electoral implications as not only does he have the lowest economic rating of any president seeking reelection since Gallup began tracking this in 2001, but independents trust his opponent more than him.”
The Gallup survey comes as CNBC reports that “three in five small business owners cite inflation (63%) and economic growth (61%) as the top issues for deciding on who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election.”
When people purchase goods, they are not voting for a political party, but rather common sense. That logic includes the feeling that the consumer feels special, but a quality good or service and knowing that the seller knows their needs.
It wasn’t that long ago that people like myself loved strolling shopping malls and looking forward to those incredible sale days, eating lunch in a food court or restaurant and if the mall was big enough,ending the day at a multi-screen movie theater, escaping my real life routines watching a blockbuster with extra size drinks and snacks.
Those malls took the place of the small, specialty shops that were owned by families for generations in many small towns, often located on or around Main Street. They were considered the landscapes that developed suburbs. Most of the workers of the specialized stores were neighbors and friends. As department store chains grew, those friendly faces we knew from the stores, churches and community events became sales help who traveled, often knew little about the products and weren’t part of our lives.
As the saying goes, “What goes around, comes around,” and those huge malls are changing due to high crime, online sales and consumer spending habits changing.
Consumers want personal services and know who they are buying their goods and services from.
The Freshwater Pearl Company, an online jewelry store, is owned by Brian Schultz. Over 30% of his clientele are repeat customers. “What sets us apart is our commitment to going the extra mile – every online order is accompanied by a hand-written thank you note, embodying our appreciation for each and every individual who chooses to adorn themselves with our pearl creations.”
Restaurants, also suffering from high food prices, customer and staff safety and staffing issues are also going to survive by customer satisfaction with how people feel when they leave after a meal. In my own community, the busiest restaurants are the only ones where everyone from the owner to the waiters not only knows your name, but spend the extra few minutes learning and having a conversation with you.
Levana Kirschenbaum, restaurateur, cookbook author and influencer, hosts many events and also consults in the business. “The extravagances we witness in a lot of the restaurants that opened in the past few years will end up becoming unsustainable, or they will serve a tiny segment of the crowd for whom money is no object no matter how outrageous it gets. Not exactly a good marker for community building.
I see more people yearning for services offering good value, restaurants, like Talia, or Mr Broadway, or Le Marais, where the food/price/service connection is always at work and always consistent. No need for stupendous culinary acrobatics. Honest to goodness good fresh food at commensurate prices and reliable friendly service: this is what I find myself drawn back to.”
Just remember, in order to get good service, be a grateful customer. Always be patient and kind to every staff member, even those you may not like, and tip appropriately, especially if you plan on returning to a store, a salon or a restaurant.
Personal service is something we took for granted during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s as we were always competing for the biggest and most visual. As social media and WhatsApp groups have made it easier for people to review what they purchase and where they support, speaking up about the details of customer satisfaction can no longer be taken for granted. Now, let’s take back our economy by how we made America a superpower, by taking care of each other.
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Cindy Grosz is an award-winning media personality, brand ambassador and Jewish activist. She is the host of “The Jewess Patriot” radio show on WGBB Radio and through Jewish Podcasts out of Jerusalem. She ran for Congress in 2020 and was a Jewish advisor for the National Coalition for Trump.
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