Two small actions by supermarkets, Sainsbury's and Waitrose with completely different outcomes

Just by coincidence I saw two posts this week on Facebook that featured leading retailers Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.

In the case of Sainsbury’s a heart warming response to a letter received by their customer services department. I’d like to think that this was a spontaneous act and that Sainsbury’s employees are inspired and empowered enough by head office that they can respond in this way. Because when they do, the positive feeling created is huge.

In contrast, take a look at the Waitrose picture ... Look what they’ve gone and done (tee, hee!). Although a simple enough mistake to make, the results are comically disastrous.

In the case of Sainsbury’s, this relatively small gesture by just one employee has catapulted them into the social conscience with a saintly appearance – I am now experiencing feelings of warmth and tenderness towards a business I had no attachment to beyond the price of avacados. The top brass at Sainsbury’s must be rubbing their hands together in delight at their cheapest and possibly biggest PR coup this year. I hope they are giving a hearty pat on the back to Chris King (aged 27 1/3)!

On the flipside, the folks at Waitrose must be more red faced than a child who’s wet their pants in school assembly.

So, beyond the heart warming efforts of one Sainsbury’s employee and the gaff made by the people who dress the Waitrose stores there is the unavoidable observation here that the power of social media here is massive. Good and bad messages about brands can be distributed across social media channels at breathtaking speeds and can be viewed by thousands, sometimes millions. Seemingly small actions can be transformed to make big waves once the consumer gets hold of them.

I would love to see how or even if Waitrose respond to this?