THE IN-STORE EXPERIENCE | DAN MANN
Creating the Main Event
E
xperience: “The conscious events that make up an individual life.” I like the word, “event” in this definition. However, all too often, the events associated with retail are negative ones. If you are looking for (and I know you are) opportunities to grow your business—you would be wise to create a memorable experience (i.e. conscious EVENTS) for your customers. Recently I was with a client in New Orleans. They took me to NOLA, Emeril’s restaurant in the French Quarter. You can probably guess that the food was extraordinary. The décor was exceptional. The menu was creative and interesting. The set up was perfect. As you, and the rest of the restaurantgoing public, can attest, that’s not enough to We can BE guarantee a great meal the retailer (event). Sometimes the that customentire meal experience ers talk about can be destroyed by poor service. An unpleasant or at parties and incompetent waiter can recommend to ruin a meal. their friends. But that’s not what happened at NOLA. The service was amazing, in every way. One of the most memorable experiences was also the most simple. Typically, when a server brings your meal to the table, one person places the plates in front of the patrons, one at a time. In doing so, it usually takes two or three minutes to get everyone served. If everyone at the table is polite, they wait (while the food gets cold!) for everyone to be served before eating. Not at NOLA! Even though there were 10 of us dining, each time another course was presented, all plates were carefully set before each guest at precisely the same moment. Bam! Yes, this required five servers, each carrying two plates; but it was done with style, grace and ingenuity. It was memorable because no one else does this. It’s so simple — and yet so effective. At its root, it is designed for the customer’s comfort and convenience. And, the extra payoff is that it was a dramatic, unique and unforgettable EVENT. I know that we are not in the restaurant business, but some of the same opportunities exist: An unpleasant or incompetent salesperson can ruin a shopping experience. The sale itself is an event that can be enhanced in the most simple ways just by thinking of the customer’s comfort and convenience. This will get you started in the right direction: • Do you have the right people working for you? Do they WANT to serve the public? Do they LOVE your product? Are they well trained? Motivated? Do you have great leadership “driving the bus”? • Is there an appropriate place in your store where the customer can experience your products? Can they effectively create the ownership experience? • Are there opportunities to be memorable: > With your dressing rooms? > At the checkout/cashwrap? > During any fitting process?
– While presenting products to customers? • What do your customers really want from their shopping experience with you? Can you provide it? Yes, customers sometimes shop for price. Yes, customers can be motivated by promotions and discounts. Yes, customers can be primarily focused on brand. Still, we have an opportunity. We can offer more than is expected. We can create a real event when customers are shopping with us. We can BE the retailer that customers talk about at parties and recommend to their friends. Go ahead, “kick it up a notch!” l
Dan Mann is the founder of The Mann Group, a leading retail training and education company that focuses on results. He began his career as a teacher. His goal? To create leaders. That same goal followed him to his next job at Bachrach, where he led the largest privately owned men’s clothing chain, to great success. His company, TMG, is a nationally known leader in helping retailers get results. January/February 2011 ~ Sports Insight • 27