Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JANUARY 2017 40 F ebruary is the month of hearts and roses. Although I don't really love Hallmark holidays, Valentine's Day serves as a good reminder about the importance of the relationships we have. Enduring businesses rely on lasting relationships with their clients— not on the day-to-day transactions with them. When was the last time you received truly exceptional service? We live in a world of self-service gas, U-Scan grocery checkout and reliance on the internet for product information. These processes have made our service expectations pretty low, but still, we're frequently disappointed. Yet, there are notable exceptions. In order to provide a purchase experience that truly differentiates yourself from your competitors, take a lesson from Sam Geist's book and ask yourself this question every day: "Why Should Someone Do Business with You: Rather than Someone Else? " If you can't answer it, your prospects won't be able to either. You might answer, "People buy from us because we've been around for fifty years." That won't motivate a first-time home-owner buying their first post-college furniture or their first-ever laundry pair. Or you might say "We have a wide selection of products to choose from." Bigger than Home Depot's online catalogue of appliances available for delivery in three days? Not everyone needs to open and close a long lineup of refrigerator doors in order to decide what to buy. People will buy from you because you offer a unique selling proposition or an exceptional buying experience…because you love your customers more than everyone else. In an industry where profitability has eluded most players, Southwest Airlines has shown a profit for 43 consecutive years. Where others have cut service to the bone, Southwest delivers an exceptional experience. Passenger perks including free checked baggage, in-flight snacks, no change fees, and friendly, happy employees have delivered more—not less—to the bottom line than any other carrier. Trader Joe's has expanded rapidly in the highly-competitive, low margin grocery channel by offering a unique selling proposition. Instead of the endless variety sold in most supermarkets, TJ's sells a limited but highly-curated assortment of products customers come back for again and again. They've eschewed most national brands for what they've made appear almost hand-crafted private label goods. They have mastered the art of impulse selling with fresh salads, to-die-for chocolate, and 100-calorie pre-packaged snacks. Their biggest asset, though, is their team. Ask any associate where something is and they'll stop what they're doing and walk you to the item you want. Jobs at TJ's go to warm, welcoming people who are appreciated by the company and their customers. If you really want to provide a great customer experience, consider merchandising it the same way you do your product assortment. Honestly analyze the experience you provide throughout the buying process. Look for service gaps and for places to upgrade your offering. Better yet, survey your customers and find out how they define premium service. How are guests welcomed in your store? If I wanted to differentiate my store, I'd take a page from Starbucks' book and offer a full-service coffee bar at the front complete with a variety of flavors, fresh milk and cream, hot chocolate for the kids, bottled water and fresh fruit. I'd serve them in reusable take-home to-go cups (lids help keep the store clean) with my store logo. While I'm getting drinks for my customer I have time to get to know them and find out what they want to buy. Is your pricing fair and reasonable? Does it match what those products sell for in your marketplace? Customers who have to haggle for a better price are not getting a good experience. Do your associates have the product information and communication skills that enable them to explain the value of feature-laden products to their clients? Can they explain new technology in ways that make customers eager to have it in their homes? Do they excite their customers? Do you have a solid system for following up with customers who don't buy or after you've given them a quote? Chances are if they're contacted a day or two after they're in the store you'll get the sale simply because you made that call. Are your delivery teams clean and groomed, well-trained and courteous? Do they take the time to check their installation and explain the product to the customers? The last experience is the one the customer is most likely to remember. The product you sell is the same as everyone else is selling. The range, washer, TV, sofa on your floor is available all over town and on the Internet. The customer experience you give is what adds value and differentiates you from the rest. It's the answer to that question: "Why should someone do business with you, rather than someone else?" Elly Valas is an author, speaker and retail consultant. She can be reached at elly@ellyvalas.com or 303-316-7568. Elly Valas Retail Views RO LOVE YOUR CUSTOM ER

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