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Loading ...This is the continuation of yesterday’s post
It is almost laughable how training has devolved into greeters at the front of the store who tell you where the old, discountinued, shop worn, buy-one-get-one leftovers from who knows how many seasons ago are located. It can feel like having a tour guide to someone’s yard sale.
Thereby leaving the new goods to languish to repeat the same markdown dance of their predecessors.
Or you get a raffle ticket like the one at right I was given by the greeter at a Banana Republic (a GAP brand) in Toronto a few weeks ago for their “private Sunday sale.”
Right, its private when you have handwritten signs plastered on your entry doors, you have a greeter hand out raffle tickets and explain the markdowns to everyone entering. All while your employees stand ever-ready at the sides to have a personal conversation or fold a messy shirt; ignoring the customers around them…
Its kind of funny so many of the original people for Apple came from Gap it earned the nickname Grapple. Now Gap is a company clearly struggling to survive while Apple flourishes.
Reuters noted the other day that Gap offered online shoppers 25 percent off in mid-June, and two days after that offer expired tried to entice them with a 35 percent discount. And of course, there was their infamous Groupon promotion last year.
So many “retail brand experts” and C-level executives have bought into the belief “our customers just want to get in and get out.”
Do you know why?
Because their customer experience sucks wind, blows chunks, is one step up from the necessary evil of a root canal by a guy in a clown mask.
Well…maybe not but you get my point.
People WANT to hang out at an Apple store. They don’t want to get in and get out.
Parents WANT to hang out at the Disney store – and buy -not the tatterered shards of knock-offs found at souvenir shops – but the life-like doll faces only found at their stores. And not on sale.
In short, there are plenty of retailers who go to great lengths to train and deliver an exceptional experience daily.
Got it Apple has unique products, unique profitability, unique history and unique loyalty but it wasn’t always so. Take the great lessons of laser focus, customer-centric and fanatical devotion to delivering an exceptional experience and people could be writing about you too.
Accept the, “that’s Apple and we couldn’t do that” and you’ll be Grouponing and Facebook fanning yourself into the delusion everything is about mobil, not retooling for the challenges at hand.
Take a look at an excerpt from my best-selling book sharing the extraordinary true steps Arrow shirt had to take in order to become competitive in the Depression including destroying their inventory.
Ready to change? Find out how you can work with the Retail Doctor to grow your sales here.
It IS about creating an experience – complete with customer service that is absolutely exceptional. Much like Western medicine, we have used a treat a symptom approach with retail and it’s not working. Consumers aren’t buying because prices need to be lower, they are not buying because they aren’t inspired or compelled enough to do so. Creating an experience for customers is not an easy fix like low-balling prices or given killer discounts, but it is what will allow you to thrive.
Thanks so much for all you do Bob – you rock!
Heather