Case Study Guide for this episode of the show about for "Solve A Big Problem" at Navarro Discount Pharmacies with Jose and Luis Navarro in Miami as seen on Small Business School, the series on PBS member stations. The best little television show about the American spirit.

The Case Study Guide

last update: January 2007

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it's not about you

These old family values feel very timely in this world.

Put Others Ahead Of Yourself

Customer service starts with deep respect for other people. From their customers and their employees, the overwhelming sentiment we heard from all the Navarro's was that people, not inventory, are what matter to them. The company has grown so much that it is no longer possible to know every customer by name, but the compassion and respect for their customers has not wavered.

WATCH TELEVISION THAT TEACHES

Key Ideas from this Episode

1.		Do What You Know
2.		Do A Lot With A Little
3.		Pour Your Earnings Into The Future
4.		Speak Your Customer's Language
5.		Hire People Who Want To Move Up
6.		Inspect What You Expect
7.		Change To Meet Demand
8.		Increase Profit Margins With Private Labels
9.		Enroll The Next Generation In The School of Hard Knocks
10.		Put Others Ahead Of Yourself
11.		Be A Team Player
12.		Develop Core Beliefs
13.		Use Technology To Dazzle Customers

Topic for Discussion: Can a business be successful without respecting its customers and its employees?

Answer: Not very successful and not for very long. Every business has competitors and customers have lots of choices. Employees are not indentured slaves and if they are not valued, they quickly sense that and move on. Whether you sell a service or a product, you are in a "people" business, and if you don't follow the golden rule of treating people, customers and employees, the way you would like to be treated, it is virtually impossible to be successful.

Similarly, the better you treat people, the more likely you are to be successful.

You think about it: What can you do to show more respect to your employees and your customers?

go to this transcript...

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