Jack Mitchell, of Mitchells/Richards Clothing Stores in Conneticut, is author of the book, "Hug Your Customers." The premise of this tome is that, for any business to achieve sustainable success, the focus must be first and foremost on the customer. Mitchell understands that, in today's world of immediacy and instant gratification, customers want and expect more. He places the customer at the center of his universe, and his company's commitment to building effective customer relationships is practiced at every level of the organization.
Mitchell defines every act of personal customer service as a "hug." A hug can be as simple as remembering a customer's name when she enters the store. Hugs come in many sizes and shapes. The goal is to personalize the shopping experience and to create relationships that become lifelong friendships.