Execution

The pharmacy tech was nice enough as she explained I would have to wait 20 minutes to get my flu shot.  Plus, I would need to wait another ten minutes  after getting the shot to see if I experienced a reaction.  She must have read my mind as I  looked around trying to find the people who were ahead of me, there were none,  as she told me the reason for the wait was because it was so busy. 

Great Advertising Can Not

Overcome Poor Execution.

I was standing in the store that had emailed me several times telling me to stop in for my flu shot.  There were the direct mailings, the printouts on my sales receipts.  Signs on the light poles in the parking lot screamed they were the place for the flu shot.  Signs in the windows, doors and on the register counters offering a ‘20% discount on photo processing if I got my flu shot today.’ 

All that effort only to have it breakdown when the customer said yes.  It is not a mystery that the store I was standing in was busy. There usually is a line for the pharmacy.  There were at least six people behind the counter.  In fact, they advertise a clinic service with the word ‘minute’ in the title.  Drug stores are seeking to become the alternative to going to your doctor for shots.  It’s about convenience.

Great advertising can not overcome poor execution. People have too many choices.  At worst, a Google search will provide plenty of options .  I was not waiting 20 minutes. I don’t wait that long at my doctor’s office.  Fundamentally, I will not reward incompetence. I went to Rite Aid where I did the paperwork, got the shot and was out of there in five-minutes. 

The lesson is, whatever your business, look with fresh eyes at your process to make sure it aligns with the standards you think you are projecting.