Integrity...Is It Still Alive?

"You're only as good as your word." That's something my dad always told me. Whatever you agree to, you best stand by it. Or you become unbelievable.

I just returned from picking up my lunch at a local sandwich shop. I don't normally go there, but I had received a really nice deal in the mail. "Get your lunch free, when you purchase a regular priced chip and regular priced drink." Even though I don't drink soda, I knew they had tea. Why not? It might make me a regular customer...and I'm relatively sure that was the plan anyway. With the economy being what it is, we all are trying to stir up a little more business. Even myself. So, off I go with coupon in hand.

I'm at the service bar and the young lady asks to help me. I show her the coupon and said I would like to take advantage of this great offer. Without a skip in her response, she said, "I cannot honor that today. Last week we gave out $600 worth of free food and no-one came on Saturday or Sunday." My response? "So this coupon is not good any longer?" (It said "good through the 26th"...today is the 21st)"You can come back Saturday or Sunday and use it." "Sorry, I live out of town and will not be back this way then." I ordered a salad, paid for it and gave the coupon to the register person. "Would you throw this coupon away for me? It doesn't seem to be legitimate."

I was kind to all that I spoke with in the business, but in the back of my mind I was placing a memo not to take my business, nor promote their business, ever. Why not? The salad was very good...but the respect just isn't there for me. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Integrity is easy to spot. Lack of integrity is easy to spot. I shall never forget while working for Papazano's Pizza, my nephew sent out an ad that met other ads that were discounted. Little did he realize the greediness of some people that were about to take him to the cleaners. Yet he honored his word. Coupons came in for $100 to $150 off tires, some $50 coupons came in from the phone company for switching long distance plans. It went on and on. He asked one customer what they were going to do with so much pizza. "We have a freezer," the customer said. Unbelievable!!!Some of Rusty's employees encouraged him not to honor those outrageous ads that were coming in. "I can't do that since it's not clear in the ad, I have to honor it." That week he gave away $7,000 worth of pizza!!! Integrity in it's purest form. And he did it all with a smile!

So...Quizno's, I'm sorry...I just can't feel sorry for ya!!! You had a chance to step up to the plate and show that you were true to your word, even when it created an unforeseen hardship.