Recently, I was watching Disney’s Robin Hood with the family.  It’s nice to revisit childhood and mouth the words of the movie (which you know so well) along with the characters only to laugh at yourself and everyone else with who is doing the same thing.  Aside from the jokes, it amazes me how many lessons are in what society considers a “kid’s movie.” 

Although the main conflict is between the government and citizens, royalty against peasantry, you can easily substitute business for government.  It is so sad how many companies grow from great businesses to work with and buy from to massive monopolies who have forgotten their roots and who got them to where they are.

The customers.

In the Robin Hood tale (at least Disney’s interpretation) Prince John was the leading villain and held to the motto that “taxes should hurt” and “squeeze every last drop out of those insolent, musical, peasants.”  All of us know how that story turns out—the populous gets squeezed so they rebel. 

When a company starts to forget its customers and charge higher prices just because they can, they force their customers into a tight position and inevitably cause the people who keep the company afloat to have a wandering eye. They turn into Prince John. 

The people will go to the one who provides for them.  They will find their Robin Hood and he will beat Prince John.

If your business is going to model either Prince John or Robin Hood, pick Robin Hood (without the thieving).  Be the one who serves the community, bends over backwards to make sure your customers are taken care of, and defends the public against being victimized by pseudo-monopolies. 

By giving the customer the service they deserve, keeping your prices reasonable, and showing them you care by giving them little extras every now and then, you will maintain a great relationship with the people who make your business possible and thereby keep your company strong. 

Be  Robin Hood. 

Create a customer service legend.