Chapter Six. When Customers Call in Sick
—DEBBI FIELDS
THERE ARE A LOT of well-known names in Memphis. Mike Rose is one. He is the retired chairman of Harrah’s Corporation, an active civic leader, and a dedicated University of Memphis alumnus. He has provided leadership in many aspects of the city’s success and is well worthy of all of the press and praise he receives. Harrah’s quietly made a one-million-dollar donation to the University of Memphis when he retired. One of the largest youth soccer complexes in the Mid-South bears his name.
Mike’s wife, Debbi, does not have the same name recognition, but she is a pretty well-known figure in her own right, both in Memphis and throughout the rest of the country. People listen when she speaks about her business experiences. You may be wondering, Who is Debbi Rose? You know her as Mrs. Fields.
That’s right—the cookie lady—the one who created the legendary cookies. Her story is indeed the stuff of legends, but the Mrs. Fields story also teaches much about the never-ending quest for customer service excellence and the fundamental truth I was learning along the way. It is what is at the core of the company that determines that way in which customers get treated. What goes on within a company is just as important as the product that goes out. I like this story a lot.