Home » Customer Expectations » Page 28

Category: Customer Expectations

What Kind of Store are You?

Last summer LEGO made a decision to stop selling their architectural series of LEGO sets to toy stores. They believed that the product didn’t belong in toy stores like mine, that it was only appropriate for certain stores. Specifically in their words…

…appropriate distribution channels include the categories of gifts, souvenirs, museums, specialty bookstores, collectibles, art, architecture, tourist and visitor centers, hotel gift shops, transportation centers, college/university union centers, science centers, specialty gift and specialty department stores.

Knowing that I fit under a number of those channels, I sent the following to LEGO.

What Kind of Store Are You?
I am a Science Center – I sell science kits and teach science concepts all the time.

I am a Specialty Bookstore – I sell more children’s books than some bookstores in my area sell all their titles combined.

I am a Specialty Gift Store – Most every single sale in my store is a gift for someone

I am a Specialty Department Store – Furniture, baby products, clothing, crafts, science, sporting goods, construction, role play, education are just some of the departments in my store

I am a Tourist Center – Families who come to Jackson, Michigan typically make sure to visit two places – our store and the local ice cream parlor. Over half of our mailing list are people who reside outside of our metro area’s zip codes.

I am a Museum – The store has been around for 61 years. We carry many items considered to be “classics” or “historical”. Even our building and signs are considered “historical”.

I am a Collectibles Store – Hot Wheels, Barbies, Madame Alexander Dolls, Star Wars, GI Joe’s, Webkins, Beanie Babies – have there been any hotter collectibles in the past 3 decades?

I am a Transportation Center – I sell wagons, strollers, bikes, trikes, scooters, skateboards and other forms of transportation. I have a river, a railroad, a street, and a walkway adjacent to my property, and many people use my parking lot to access all four.

I am a Souvenir Store – Many of the items I sell are held onto purely for nostalgic reasons.

I am an Architecture Store – I sell many items including books and kits for learning about construction techniques and for building architectural structures from bridges to houses to castles to historical buildings.

I am an Art Store – I sell art supplies. I sell art and decorations.

I am an Education Center – I sell items to teachers and students alike to assist in education such as project kits for school projects (including the exact same items found in science centers), teaching aides, and modeling kits (including clay, wood, metal and plastic materials used for building whatever the teacher requests). I work with preschools, elementary schools, secondary schools and colleges.

I am a Hobby Store – I cater to hobbyists who build models of classic structures such as cars, planes, boats and even buildings.

I am a Toy Store – I sell toys that encourage creativity, toys that spur on the imagination, toys that teach, inspire and help people to grow – yes, people. My toys are for ages 1 to 101. I sell toys for tots, teenagers and twenty-somethings. I sell toys for infants, adolescents, and adults.

I am a LEGO Store – I sell virtually everything LEGO that I can get my hands on because my customers expect me to have those items. They expect me to be able to get them anything from LEGO they want. They expect me to have new and unique LEGO items. They expect me to have off-the-beaten-path LEGO items. They expect me to be current with everything LEGO. They don’t care about categories of distribution. They just want to find their LEGO at a store that is convenient, friendly and takes good care of them.

Redefining Your Greatness
Yeah, I probably could have added another dozen definitions – Smile Store, Psychology Center, Daycare, Meeting Center, Problem Solver… What about you? What kind of store are you? Might you be defining your business (your box) too small?

Do this exercise. Using criteria similar to what I did with LEGO, see how many ways you can define your store. You just might find a niche you haven’t been using to your advantage.

-Phil

PS Still waiting to hear their decision – hopefully at Toy Fair next week.

Neighborhood Kids Causing Trouble? Involve Them in Your Business

My grandfather served on the USS Arkansas Battleship in WWII. Fought at D-Day and Okinawa. Shortly after the war, with three kids and nowhere in town to go for toys, he opened our store.

The original Toy House was not in the best shopping location, but rent was cheap on the edge of downtown near the residential neighborhoods.

One of his friends told him, “Phil, you’re crazy for going there. The neighborhood kids will vandalize the heck out of your store… when they’re not in shoplifting you blind.”

Oh, my grandfather was crazy. Crazy like a fox.

Every morning he raised the flag outside the store. Every evening he lowered the flag. And he did it with all the pride and honor of a decorated WWII veteran. Oh yeah, and he included all the neighborhood kids in the routine. Taught them how to say the Pledge of Allegiance, how to stand at attention and salute, how to fold the flag and pay it respect. Showed them how to raise the flag quickly and lower it slowly. A true adolescent color guard.

At first there were a couple kids involved. Then a few of their friends joined in. Pretty soon it was a small crowd of young patriots standing at attention with their hands over the hearts.

Vandalism? Never a problem. Shoplifting? Are you kidding? He had an army of young men that took pride in the success of Toy House. No one was going to hurt the store on their watch.

How are you reaching out to your community and getting them to stand behind your store?

-Phil

How One Bad Apple Nearly Spoiled the Ski Trip

The big family Christmas gift was a long ski weekend at Boyne Highlands in northern Michigan.

Although not as immediate as a box of Legos, the boys were thrilled. And the experience was incredible!

WOW Customer Service
We showed up at the Zip Line just as it was closing – no problem. They got us dressed and ready in no time at all and made it seem like we had made their day to stay open an extra 20 minutes. Korie was just a gem.

We showed up for our free buffet breakfast and had Martha, our waitress, treat us like rock stars. Dirty plates whisked away immediately. Tips on which buffet stand to get the freshest food. Anticipating our every needs. It was a free meal, so she wasn’t in it for the tips (although she got a big one). She just obviously loved doing her job the right way.

At the bottom of the chair lift Tyler was able to strike up a conversation in the few seconds before we were lifted away that we kept going back to the same lift time and again just to keep the conversation going. No wonder he won employee-of-the-year last year (at least that’s what he claimed, and I wouldn’t argue.)

Every single interaction was over-the-top positive customer service…

Except one.

Not So WOW
It probably wasn’t that big of a deal, but my wife was having a tough time getting off the inner tube course tow rope. The attendant seemed indifferent to her plight, even a little put-off that she was holding up the line (which consisted of one other person, my son). His attitude was a stark contrast to the friendly, caring attitude of the rest of the staff and it almost brought down the whole trip.

His indifference and attitude was all my wife could talk about.

Thank God Korie and the Zip Line team restored our faith later the same night.

But it was a quick lesson on how fast a great experience can unravel because of the careless work of one person in a seemingly unimportant position.

Hiding the Risk
The inner tube tow rope is probably pretty low on the totem pole of jobs at a top-notch ski resort. Maybe management knew this and put their lowest performing person there, thinking he could do the least amount of damage.

But least amount of damage is still damage. Had that been our last event of the trip, it would have been the defining moment.

If you have an employee doing damage, don’t try to protect him or her. Train or fire. There is no middle ground. That may seem harsh, but your customers will be even more harsh. They won’t come back for a second chance.

Korie, Martha and Tyler had to work extra hard to make up for this one mistake. And to their credit, they did! We already know what Santa is bringing next year.

-Phil

Head Cheerleader

Five shopping days until Christmas. In the home stretch. You’re tired, run down and stressed, just counting the days. Your friends and family are encouraging you to “Hang in there, it’s almost over.”

Sorry to burst your bubble, but you need to do more than just hang in there.

Of the hundreds (thousands) of customers who come through your door this week, many are entering your store for the first time.

Now is the time to WOW them so they become lifelong customers.

So no matter how tired you and your staff are feeling, no matter how many hours you’ve worked, how many sleepless nights you’ve had fretting about the business, you have to find that reserve inside you that makes this week the most special experience your customers have ever had!

And you need to fire up the staff, too. Your new role for the next 5 days is Head Cheerleader. Here are three things you can do to keep your staff going strong until the end.

  • Praise them. Tell them specific things you have seen them do right in the last few days. Share their praise with everyone.
  • Cater lunch. Not just some sandwiches and chips but a real sit-down meal with silverware.
  • Hire a masseuse. Give the staff 20-minute breaks to get table massages.

These next few days are not only critical to your holiday sales, they are critical to your future because you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Get your store ready, get your staff ready and get busy!

You can do it. Rah rah rah, Sis boom bah!! I’m pulling for you!

-Phil

It’s a Wonderful Life!

Yeah, watched one of my favorite movies last night, It’s a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey. Cried like a baby at the end, just like I always do.

Then it dawned on me…

This is a movie about incredible customer service.

All those people who came to bail out George at the end did so because first he had given them incredible, over-the-top, unexpected, bend-over-backwards customer service.

Unlike Mr. Potter, George put helping others above personal gain. George made a difference in other people’s lives. Let me repeat that.

George made a difference in other people’s lives.

Does your business do that? Does the customer service you offer make a difference in other people’s lives? Or is it simply a nicety that makes the exchange more pleasant?

The latter only gets a thank you at best. The former? It is the stuff angels are made of.

If you want your customers to show you the kind of love George got at the end, you better figure out a way to make a difference in their lives. When you do that, you’ll find that retail IS a Wonderful Life!

-Phil

Is Social Media Working?

In one of my online communities the question was posed…

Is Social Media working or not working? Is it making anyone’s register’s ring?

The purpose behind the question was because of mixed reactions from businesses who have found success through Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, etc. and those who haven’t.

Personally, I think the question missed the mark. I would have asked…

HOW is Social Media working for those of you who have found it successful?

No matter what the marketing medium, some will find success with it, others will not. The problem isn’t in the medium, but in how you use it. If you use it right, the rewards are there. So I would want to know how people are using it right.

My Facebook Experience
We have found Facebook to be a lot like networking. It is about building relationships with people by getting to know them and seeing if there are any mutual benefits to our relationship.

The one thing I have learned in my experience with Facebook is that I get far more response when I ask questions than when I send out announcements. I get far more interactions when I ask for opinions and advice than when I post information. And I get a far better opportunity to interact positively with my customers when they post comments than when I just throw info at them. Most importantly, that viral aspect of Social Media kicks in the more people I include in the conversation.

The one definite ROI that I have been able to track is that my fan base grows faster the more comments and conversations I get on a post.

Mutually Beneficial
The benefits of these conversations are HUGE! We get a chance to learn what our biggest fans are thinking. Sometimes we even learn stuff we didn’t know. Sometimes we get to answer questions they forgot to ask in the store. Sometimes we get to clear up misunderstandings.

Most importantly, we have conversations, back-and-forth conversations. And conversations lead to conversions.

Make Your Registers Ring
The best sales people know that the key to successful sales is conversation. As long as the customers keep talking you have more opportunities to solve their problems and sell them what they need. If you treat your Facebook and Twitter programs as conversation starters, not information spreaders, you’ll find that the info actually spreads faster and farther and the sales will result.

Social Media, like all other forms of marketing, works when it is done right. If all you do is post info and tell, tell, tell, you won’t get the kind of return you want. If you think of it as a two-way conversation where you ask more than you tell, then you are on your way to doing it right.

-Phil

Love is a Given

Tiger Woods was on ESPN radio this morning and mentioned a lesson his father, Earl, taught him.

Love is a given. Trust and Respect have to be earned.

That is true not only in people, but in businesses too.

You have customers who love you. We all do. Sometimes it is just the nature of our store. Heck, who doesn’t love a toy store? But have you earned your customer’s trust?

Earning Trust
You can earn their trust a number of ways…

By always doing what you say you will do. If you promise to call someone back with information, you better call them back with that info. If you promise delivery at a certain time, you better deliver at that time.

Sure you might slip up along the way. We all do. but if you can’t do what you said, you better be upfront and honest with why you didn’t perform. When you make a mistake, admit it quickly and apologize profusely.

By always being consistent in who you are. If you stand for quality, you have to drop the products that don’t meet your standards and stand behind the products you do sell. Whatever your principles, you have to show that you are willing to give up some of your profit to be consistent with your values.

By always looking at your business from a “what’s-in-the-best-interest-of-the-customer” point of view. Is your cash wrap set up for quick and easy checkout? Does your return policy favor you or the customer? Are you willing to do what is right by the customer even when it costs you money?

Earning Respect
To earn respect you have to be respectful. Do you always have a positive outlook or are you a skeptic who sits back and take potshots at everything? Do you join in on the solution or just talk about the problems? Do you help out others or only look after yourself?

Your attitude goes a long way towards your ability to earn your customers’ respect.

We all have customers who love us. But if you want to grow your business, you have to earn their trust and respect. And you have to earn it anew every single day.

-Phil

It Just Isn’t Fair!

There’s an uproar in the toy world and I want to give you my take on it – be sure to read the whole article.

One of my major vendors, a long time player in the specialty toy industry, just gave a whole bunch of exclusives to Toys R Us. Many independent toy stores are understandably upset. Not only does it cut into our margins, it makes us no longer look like the experts – one of the factors we use to compete against the big box stores.

Someone asked my opinion on it. I figure I’d share it with you, too. It’s pretty simple.

S**t happens…

Yeah, it was the specialty stores that helped build this brand in the US. So what? Yeah, it was a major difference between us and our big box competitors. So what? Yeah, it was a huge customer draw for us. So what?

If I had a dollar for every toy that used to be exclusively sold in specialty stores that eventually found its way onto the shelves at TRU, Wal-Mart or Target, I’d be retired by now.

Unhappy Customers Equals Unhappy Store?
No, it’s not fun when a customer comes in wondering why the “school” you’re selling is almost twice as much as the “school” at TRU. She doesn’t care that their school is smaller and doesn’t have all the accessories. She also doesn’t understand why you can’t get all the other stuff she saw at the other store. And she really doesn’t care that some of the price difference is because of their buying power – heck, that’s reason enough for some customers to go running from your store immediately.

All she knows is that she has a problem and you’re not being part of the solution.

But like I said before, this happens all the time. And there are pretty much only two reactions I can have.

  1. Be pissed and angry and let everyone see how unhappy I am with my lot in business (life).
  2. Accept it as part of doing business as an independent retailer and put a smile on my face while trying to show the customer what I do have and what I can do.

Of course you are going to choose #2. That’s what the smart retailers do.

Not Their Fault
It isn’t the vendor’s fault. The vendor needs to make money. Selling to the big chains is one method of doing that. And you don’t know what is driving their actions. Maybe the indie stores haven’t supported them enough. Maybe there is pressure from a silent partner or parent company. Maybe there is enough demand that going big is a necessity.

Whatever the reason, it happens all the time in the toy and baby industries, and I would guess it happens in your industry, too. It just isn’t worth getting your panties in a bind.

Take the High Road
You can choose to drop that vendor. Just don’t think it will show them any lessons. If anything it will embolden them that they made the right choice going mass.

You can choose to evaluate the vendor financially. Are they still drawing customers and making you money? Then keep ’em. If not, drop ’em.

You can choose to tell your customers what a horrible company they are in doing that to you. You might win some sympathy, but you might also come across as sour grapes. Remember that it is about the customer and her problems, not you and yours.

The better approach is to see if what you have will fit her needs. Focus on solving her problem with what you have, not what you don’t. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.

Bottom Line
In the end you have to take care of your own bottom line. That means first and foremost taking care of the customer, making sure she has a positive and rewarding experience in your store and that you do whatever you can to solve her issues and make her happy. No matter what a vendor does, there is no excuse for a poor attitude from you.

It also means evaluating your vendors from a strictly financial sense. Is their product still drawing customers and making you money? Good. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of a proper evaluation of a potential profit center.

At some point a vendor’s actions will not be in your best interest. Rarely do those actions cause major damage to your business. Your reactions to their actions are usually the culprit. So take control of your actions now, and reap the benefits later.

-Phil

Men and Women Do Shop Differently

He stormed out of the store, mumbling how he would never return. Yeah, it was our store, and I was in the department that made him so angry.

I was talking with the baby department staff about the new items I saw at a recent trade show. At some point he slipped into the department unnoticed. The three of us continued our conversation, pausing briefly to greet the customers we saw, offering assistance as needed.

But we never saw him. And he never came over to talk to us. He just left angry that no one bothered to help him with a question he had. He even made a few comments as he left about how my grandfather would never have treated him that way. Ouch.

Frankly, we never saw him enter the department, otherwise we would have greeted him as we did everyone else. Then again, he never came up to us, even though he came in with a question to be answered. Which is the point I want to make.

Men and women shop differently because they communicate differently.

Speaking Vertical
Men speak vertically. Did what I say make you think higher of me or lower of me? For a man to ask a question is to admit that he doesn’t know, which makes you think lower of him. That’s why we guys don’t want to stop and ask for directions. It is also why he entered our department with a question, saw the three of us conversing, and avoided us hoping that we would see him and engage him separately. That way he would have the upper hand in the conversation and wouldn’t have to engage three of us at once.

Speaking Horizontal
Women, however, speak more horizontally. Did what I say draw me in closer or push me further away? Asking questions just draws a woman into the inner circle and makes her feel like she belongs. She wants to ask for directions as much as a man doesn’t want to ask.

A woman with a question in a retail store will usually ask the first person she sees and keep asking until the question is answered.

Signs Sell
One quick way to remedy the male aversion to asking for help is signage. Put answers to the most frequently asked questions on visible signs where someone might pose those questions. Not only will the men thank you, the introverted women will appreciate those signs, too.

Just watch a man in a store. He walks in, stops, looks around to get his bearings. What is he looking for? Signs to tell him where to go next. He finds his sign, heads off and continues his search. If he doesn’t find what he wants, he looks for another sign. Even when someone asks if he needs help, his gut reaction is to say no. He wants to figure it out before having to admit he doesn’t know.

Paco Underhill, author of the fabulous book Why We Buy has highlighted this behavior from countless hidden camera recordings.

Men and Women Do Shop Differently
When you approach men (and today’s example is a reminder that you have to approach them), they want to speak vertically. Make them feel important and smart and you’ll be able to engage them in a way that gets them the help they need without them feeling bad about it.

Women, on the other hand, just want to be part of the inner circle. Invite them in and you’ll be golden in their eyes.

-Phil

Not Relevant Equals Not Seen

Are you a newspaper reader? Quick, tell me all the ads you remember from yesterday’s paper. No fair peaking at the recycle pile. And don’t just guess the big furniture chain or tire store. They might have been in yesterday’s paper, or was it last Monday’s?

The Invisible Truth
The truth is, the only ads you see and remember in a newspaper are ads for products in which you currently are in the market. If you need a new couch, all the furniture store ads pop out at you. If you need a new car, every auto dealer suddenly becomes visible. Every other ad is invisible. Heck, newspapers are designed to teach us to ignore the irrelevant. Headlines are written to get your attention. If you don’t care, you don’t read.

The only ads you see are the ones relevant to you.

Relevant: ˈre-lə-vənt
a : having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand
b : affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion

If it isn’t important to us, if it doesn’t have significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand, we aren’t looking, we aren’t listening, we aren’t paying attention.

Three Roads to Relevancy
You can make your ads more relevant three different ways.

Make it about a product. Your store isn’t that important. It’s the products in your store that attract attention. If you sell widgets and your ad is all about widgets you will immediately attract the attention of all the people in the market for a widget.

Make it about a felt need. We all have felt needs such as the need for more money, security, prestige. When your message addresses that felt need it becomes relevant to all who share that feeling. If you are filling a specific need, speak to that need and your message becomes more relevant.

Make it about the customer. The most important person in your world is you. The most important person in your customer’s world, however, is her. She isn’t interested in hearing about you, but she loves to hear about herself. When you can tailor your message so that it puts the customer in the starring role, the relevancy of that ad skyrockets.

When you raise the Relevancy of your message, you get more people paying attention.

-Phil