Lessons from Discount Tire

First, a disclosure: I do not now nor have I ever worked for Discount Tire. I do not own stock in their company. I do not even know anyone who works there. But I am one of their customers, and I've had some excellent experiences there and learned a few lessons from them as well. So, in no particular order, here are a few of those lessons:

Notice people. When I pull into the parking lot at Discount Tire, a worker comes out, meets me at my car, and asks me what I need. Let me tell you, that makes me feel pretty important and reassures me that I will be taken care of. It takes very little time to notice and acknowledge someone, but when you do, you will make a friend for life.

Focus on what you do well. Discount Tire focus on, obviously, tires. They don't do oil changes; they don't repair brakes. As a result, their people really know tires, and they have the equipment and experience do take care of practically any tire problem. My neighbor Jeanette makes absolutely incredible desserts. My friend Daniela is fluent in several languages. I can be envious of them and wish I had their talents. Or I can focus on my own talents and use those to bless the people around me.

Build relationships by helping people. When you buy tires from Discount Tire, the salesman doesn't shake your hand and tell you good-bye. Instead, they provide free tire rotations and repairs for as long as you own those tires. By focusing on what their customers need, they keep them coming back. And when those customers need new tires, or have a friend who needs new tires, where do you think they are going to go? Think about what the people you know need and what you can do to meet those needs. As the old saying goes, if you want to have a friend, then be a friend.

Like I said, I don't work for Discount Tire, and there are plenty of other companies who provide excellent customer service. As a Christian, I am called on to serve others. I can learn a lot from companies like this one.