Walmart can’t be missed. The company has a strong brand that is supposed to be based on low prices and friendly service. Associates and greeters are encouraged to smile and say hello to each and every customer they see. This 10-foot rule was created by Walmart founder Sam Walton. On the Walmart web site the company says that, “During his many store visits, Sam Walton encouraged associates to take this pledge with him: I promise that whenever I come within 10 feet of a customer, I will look him in the eye, greet him, and ask if I can help him.”

Now that is my kind of corporate policy! I like feeling special, doesn’t everybody? It is especially nice to see this kind of policy in such a huge store. Doesn’t get any bigger than Walmart. Did you know they have a cheer? They do, here are a few lines from it (www.walmartstores.com).

After spending a lot of time pushing my cart around the place on many occasions I starting wondering whether this policy was really being put into place. Was Walmart being authentic and walking their talk? So I went undercover again. This time with a hidden camera in my cart I went for a little shopping trip. Lionel Richie’s “Hello” plays in the background in the video, epic really. You can watch the video for yourself here: http://bit.ly/4JICy5.

In total, I passed 17 Walmart employees and not one said hello. I don’t think Sam would have been impressed. Written policy and core values are great for your business. They set the tone and they remind you, your employees, and your customers what you stand for, who you are. But they are only as good as your actions. If you can’t take those policies and turn them into a real experience for your market, then you might as well not have them.

When you don’t provide the customer experience that your brand is supposed to represent, a few things can happen. You, company comes off as inauthentic and your market begins to doubt whether you stand by any of your values or your policies. You begin to create an experience gap where your market begins to be less and less happy with your service and competitors can move in. When I think about Walmart, I think low prices, not friendly service. How about you? That’s what I thought. That is because they don’t walk their talk.

Even if you are a one-person show, you can learn from this. Being who you say you are as a businessperson is important. You are always representing your brand. Eventually, someone will hold you accountable for the core values you claim to represent. Be authentic, and if you say you’re going to say hello, say it.