Does Anyone Really Care?

Does Anyone Really Care?

A few weeks ago, Business Week Online ran an article about Wal-Mart getting into the banking industry. Here is a quote from the article:

"There's no question, they want to have a nationwide financial-services network. If they do, there's no doubt in my mind they'll be able to do to community banks the same thing they've done to the local grocery store and the local hardware store and the local clothing store," says the community banker group's Ence."

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_06/b3919046_mz011.htm

Is Wal-Mart going to put us out of business? I wonder. It sounds like the analyst think they can – with their size and spread.

There lingers with me one nagging question. I mean, Wal-Mart is certainly a strong company. There is no denying that. But they aren’t known for their great service. The few times I have been into a Wal-Mart, I haven’t received any Nordstrom-like attention. I have never heard of anyone who has. Folks don’t go there for the good service, after all, they go there for the price and sometimes the convenience and perhaps after awhile because it is the only game in town. I have read all sorts of articles about disgruntled Wal-Mart employees and class action suits. I read “Nickel and Dimed in America” about Barbara Ehrenreich’s experience working there, which sounded horrendous.

So that leaves me asking – does anyone care about good service? Are we spending all of this time and money here at Verity to make sure we are providing the best possible service just to have Wal-Mart Savings and Loan come in across the street and put us out of business?

Is our attention on our members all for not? I guess only time will tell. Sigh.