Federal Express Knows Customers Want it Now!
“You know you have hit the big time when the purple-and-orange lettered Federal Express (FedEx) truck driven by a smiling courier pulls into your driveway or walks up your stairwell and hands you the purple-and-orange envelope. First off, it’s always a blessed relief to get what’s inside, because it absolutely, positively had to get there.” Fred Smith, a 20 year old sophomore at Yale University, understood this characteristic of American culture when he thought up his topic for his business class project. We all know the legend, how he wrote a term paper describing his idea for overnight delivery of documents anywhere in the country by means of a fleet of airplanes flying to a hub system converging on Memphis of all places. Fred got a C on the paper, and most of his buddies thought he was lucky. But it took more than full faith in a sophomore’s brainchild to make FedEx what it is today. The company services one of the most important aspects of American culture and business: the need for a NOW response and FedEx knows that the only thing it has to sell is NOW-without fail.
Questions to answer:
Around the globe, people have developed what has been called a “microwave mentality.” We like quick service, instant food, and fast results. Does this describe you as a customer?
What other Global companies besides Federal Express base their success on NOW services and explain why?