'Get what you pay for?' You bet

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — It’s kind of refreshing to find that the old adage “you get what you pay for” still holds true.

(THE NEWS: Shoppers would spend more for good customer service, survey finds. For the full story, click here)

Customer service is one of those labor cost line items that some retailers view as a controllable expenditure, while others see it as an investment. You often can distinguish one from the other as soon as you walk through the door — if you feel good about where you are, that retailer probably sees customer service as an investment.

Now these investment-minded retailers know there’s a return to be had — to the tune of the 13% premium that most Americans are willing to pay extra for that feel-good shopping vibe.

The news is not new to the retail pharmacy industry, however, given the amount of recognition McKesson’s Health Mart has received of late around exemplary customer service. In the May issue of Consumer Reports, a report found that such independents as McKesson’s Health Mart franchise group serve as a good example of the kind of experience patients are in search of. Health Mart also has been recognized for its outstanding service elsewhere. J.D. Power in February named Health Mart as 1-of-the-40 companies that was a J.D. Power 2011 Customer Service Champion.