June 10, 2010
Successfully
Using Assumptive Language
Another difference between good and Extraordinary is the ability to help the customer visualize owning the product. Visualizing helps the customer to make a purchase, which is one of our primary responsibilities. And last but not least, it increases their conversion rate.
Here are some examples of how to use assumptive language.
Okay: All of our furniture is special order and takes eight weeks.
Good: If you see something you like we can order it. It takes eight weeks.
Extraordinary: We'll have your furniture delivered and set-up in just eight weeks.
Okay: You might checkout the new sundresses we just got in.
Good: One of these sundresses would be nice for your vacation.
Extraordinary: I have the perfect sundress for your trip to the Outer Banks. Which of these colors do you prefer?
Okay: If you buy this necklace you might want to look at the matching earrings.
Good: When you buy the necklace you might also want to consider the matching earrings.
Extraordinary: When you buy the necklace you're likely to want the matching earrings. Here, let me hold them up to your ear.
Okay: You might think about one of these mowers.
Good: I'd consider this mower or that mower.
Extraordinary: Based on what your needs are I recommend that you purchase one of these two mowers.
The stronger the connection you make with your customer, the easier it is to use assumptive language. Maybe that's another reason Extraordinary sales associate use assumptive language so often.
Here's my challenge to you. Listen to the language you and your colleagues are using with your customers and decide if your assumptive language is okay, good, or Extraordinary.
June 3, 2010
Aligning
Expectations with Your Actions
Yes, I'm a lifelong Celtics fan, but you can't deny that without great chemistry this team of four experienced stars and one of the hottest players in the NBA would probably not be able to come together as a unit and play up to their very considerable potential.
Great chemistry and good team karma start at the very top. It's up to the coach, manager or owner to bring out the most in every person while at the same time getting them to work as a high-performance team.
Here are some ways to create and maintain great chemistry on your team:
1. Be clear about your expectations. Great teams win together because every person on the team knows what is needed and expected of them. On less effective teams the expectations are more vague, resulting in uneven performance among the team. Every employee should know what it takes to achieve and exceed your expectations.
2. Hold people accountable for their performance. It's hard to have good chemistry and teamwork when some employees feel they are contributing more than others. Whether someone on the team is considered your favorite or just a slacker, letting anyone contribute less than what is expected is a recipe for team failure.
3. Maintain open and productive communication. Nothing kills a team more quickly than teammates talking behind each other's back, especially if the talkers include any members of management. You can overcome this by discussing in your Daily Take Five and monthly staff meetings both team and individual strengths and areas of improvement. It's also up to each employee to not participate in unproductive conversation. Here's a simple benchmark - never talk about another person unless they are present or it's praise.
4. Take personal responsibility. Once a team starts blaming each other or outside forces for falling short they've given away the power to win. United you stand, divided you fall. Successful teams spend their time and energy figuring out how to win, not blaming outside forces or teammates for why they're losing.
5. Be a great place to work. Positive energy and positive people create positive results. One of the most important things we do as leaders is to create an extraordinary work environment. Making work fun and challenging is key to getting the most out of people. Retail, like many other occupations, can become extremely monotonous if the owner or manager allows it. It's up to us to make working at our store or business as exciting as shopping there. They truly do go hand in hand.
So let me ask, do you create winning team chemistry?
May 26, 2010
A Product In
Hand is Worth Two on the Shelf
For someone who is looking at a specific product, holding or touching that product can create purchase intent. Another benefit is the customer's ability to recall the store itself. The more of your customer's senses you can engage the more likely he/she is to recall that moment.
This is why so many retailers are using sound and smell as part of the customer experience but it's tough to engage the sense of touch unless the staff is driving it. And since so few retailers have an engaging staff, a strategy of getting products into every customer's hand can differentiate you from your competitors.
The easiest way to engage customers with a product is when they're looking at or for something specific. Whenever you are showing a product it should either be in the customer's hand or the customer is being encouraged to do something that has them physically engaged with the product.
Let me use some non-traditional examples. If a customer is looking for a garden hose you might pick up the best hose and hand it to them so they can get the feel of the actual product while you tell them its features and benefits.
But sometimes you can't actually hand the customer a product. Say a customer is looking for a 50 lb anvil. While telling your customer the features and benefits of the anvil metal you tap it, demonstrating its solidity and strength, and ask them to do the same.
I'm not sure how many people are buying anvils ever since most cartoon characters quit dropping them on each other's heads, but I do know a customer will touch the anvil if you do it yourself and then encourage them to follow your lead.
But remember, the goal should be to engage every customer with a product, not just those looking for specific products. While you don't want customers to feel they're being accosted by employees trying to put a product in their hands, the key is to look for and create the right opportunities to do so.
When a customer asks about your company, take a moment to put a product in his/her hand while you answer the question. When someone is at the register you can place one of the impulse items in his/her hand before starting to ring the sale. And sometimes you might want to show off a new product that just came in.
Many years ago my friend Josh was determined to sell the most tennis racquets at The Sharper Image so he could win a trip to the U.S. Open. He carried that tennis racquet around every minute of the contest. More important, he put that racquet in the hand of just about every customer he talked with. Even though only a few customers actually bought a racquet, almost all of them were fine with him handing them the racquet because he was so enthusiastic about it. Of course you can guess who went to the U.S. Open that year.
Every day you work the floor, remember that a product in the customer's hand is worth two on the shelf. And if you accomplish this regularly, in your store the expression will soon be "one in the customer's hand on none on the shelf."
May 19, 2010
Six Ways to
Improve an Employees Productivity Today
1. Challenge her. From time to time we all need a little bit of extra motivation and focus. Challenge a person who has a $200 average sale to strive for $225 today. At the very least she will be more aware of where her average sale is that day.
2. Observe and give feedback. Take a few minutes to watch your employee with a customer. Afterward, share with the employee one or two ideas he can try with the next customer. Even better, continue to observe the employee so that you can give him feedback on how he applied your suggestion.
3. Teach him. We often take for granted that our employees know everything they need to know to be productive, but just because we've taught it doesn't mean they learned it or remember it. Ask yourself what is the one thing you can teach an employee that will help him/her be more productive. Then do it. There's nothing wrong with quick refresher courses or a pop quiz.
4. Show him. Most people they learn better by watching rather of simply being told. If you want an employee to improve his add-ons (or as we call it, enhancing the sale) you or another employee can demonstrate the expected behaviors.
5. Reward them. Contests and spiffs are a great way to increase productivity, but don't expect the motivation to continue after the end of the contest or spiff.
6. Tell her. Sometimes you just have to tell someone that her productivity is below your expectations, and you expect her to do better today. This only works if you know the person has the skills to do what you're asking.
Here's what doesn't help someone be more productive today
1. Hoping they do better.
2. Spending time in the office.
3. Thinking about what they need to do.
4. Putting it on your to-do list.
5. Avoiding the person you need to talk to/work with.
6. Doing it yourself.
Of course I've totally oversimplified the very big topic of coaching and developing employees. Which was also my intent. Most of the ways I listed to increase an employee's productivity only take a few minutes of your time.
You don't need fancy forms or hour-long meetings to improve an employee's productivity. It just takes a commitment to make it happen.
So let me ask, which list will you be working from today?
May 13, 2010
Successful
Assumptions
Here are five assumptions that will make you more successful:
1. Assume you're going to have a great
day. I recently connected on Facebook
with an old friend I hadn't seen in a very
long time. Almost every morning she posts what
a bad day she's going to have and, amazingly,
her predictions almost always come true! The
human mind is very powerful and ultimately
will create your reality. Make your reality a
great one.
2. Assume every customer is coming into
your store to make a purchase. This
assumption separates Extraordinary salespeople
from their colleagues. It's the difference
between showing a customer a product and
selling them a product. I'd guess that fewer
than 5% of retail salespeople do this on a
regular basis. Of course not every single
customer will make a purchase, but more of
them will when you assume they're in your
store to buy something.
3. Assume the customer will always have a
better shopping experience with your help.
If you can't make this assumption then I worry
what value you bring to the customer. Our
challenge is that many customers assume the
opposite. They might assume that you're like
all the inept salespeople who have either
pestered or ignored them. Sometimes it takes a
little extra effort to build that rapport so
your customer will see that you are indeed
better than the rest. Don't take it personally
if they don't let you improve their
experience. It's their loss.
4. Assume your customer wants to purchase
more than one product. Why wouldn't he
buy new paintbrushes along with that gallon of
paint? Of course she'll purchase the matching
wallet that goes with the handbag. Obviously
she wants new socks to go with her running
shoes. Failing to make this assumption results
in poor service and lost sales.
5. Assume your customer will tell you when
she is ready to checkout. We should never
make that decision for our customer. Our job
is to keep selling him products until he says
it's time to pay. Rushing a customer to finish
is not only bad for business but is unfair to
the customer.
There's an old saying about assume that I
can't print here, but I don't buy it. My
assumptions have nothing to do with you, but
everything to do with me and with my success.
You can make your own.
So let me ask, are you making enough
successful assumptions?
May 6, 2010
A Roadblock
to Growth
It's perfectionism.
Perfectionism is defined as a personal standard, attitude, or philosophy that demands perfection and rejects anything less. The fear of something being less than perfect too often results in not doing anything at all. It holds us back from moving forward on objectives and activities that will have a positive impact on today and tomorrow's business.
Some perfectionists label themselves as "having a type A personality" or "being a bit of a control freak," but the root cause of their behavior is perfectionism.
Here are some examples of perfectionism creating a roadblock to growth. I've recently encountered every one of them.
1. The storeowner who hasn't got the employee performance review perfect enough to roll out even though the employees haven't been reviewed in over two years.
2. The executive who has had a sales training 90% complete for more than six months.
3. The salon owner who hasn't started a Facebook page because she doesn't have time and is concerned that if she gives it to someone else they'll do something that will have a negative impact on her brand.
4. The manager whose to-do list is a mile long because she can't delegate anything. She's running around like a madwoman while her staff stands around waiting for something to do.
How do you overcome perfectionism? The easiest way is compare the cost of not doing something with the benefit of going forward.
For example, what it is the cost of moving forward with a review the owner isn't 100% happy with? If it's so bad he could be sued (highly unlikely) then he shouldn't move forward. But what's the benefit to the storeowner of moving forward with a less than perfect review? Say the store does $2,000,000 a year and the review helps staff morale and the team to develop so they're able to improve sales 1%. 1% is extremely conservative but 1% is still an additional $20,000 in sales! I have one word for this owner. . . GO!
I can't imagine the cost of not releasing a sales training for six months is, or putting off hiring me. (Yes, shameless plug. But it is my newsletter.) And what's the cost of the manager doing everything herself? Not only is it costing her sales but she is probably so stressed out that it is impacting her life and maybe even her health. I have one word for this manager . . . DELEGATE!
I certainly don't advocate putting out sloppy or inferior work, but "really good and done" is much more profitable than "I'll wait until it's absolutely perfect and then we'll move forward."
So let me ask, is your perfectionism holding you back and at what cost?
April 29, 2010
The More
Responsible Team
While many associates are in fact emotionally invested in their company's business, for others it's a job like any other job. I think that's fine as long as they are meeting or exceeding your expectations.
You can't require an emotional investment, but you can require people to take responsibility for both business and personal results. Whether an employee is a short-time part-timer or a full-time hoping to be lifer, we can and should expect them to take more responsibility in the business. It starts with us and the way we manage and lead our team.
Here are five tips for managing and leading in such a way that the staff will become more responsible for the business.
1. Set daily, weekly, and monthly team and possibly individual goals. The goals can include sales, conversion, average sale, units-per-transaction, customer satisfaction/experience score, and mystery shops. People can't be responsible unless we first set the expectation.
2. Delegate areas of responsibility, not just tasks. Each employee, however many hours they work, should have ownership of some area of the business. Whether it's shipping and receiving, a particular aisle, running events, or something else, when employees are held accountable for their involvement they can't help but feel more responsible for results.
3. Involve the staff in decision-making. The more the staff is engaged in the strategies and tactics of the business, the more responsible they become for the results. Of course another reason to involve the staff is that their experience and customer insights lead to better decisions. It takes more time to engage the staff but the payoff is well worth the investment.
4. Quit answering the staff's questions, especially those that pertain to the customer. Require your people to bring you solutions, not problems. For example, instead of asking you what to do with an unhappy customer, have the employee give you his/her recommendation of what should be done. Ask questions not only to understand your employee's thought process, but also to teach your perspective to them.
5. Constantly update your reward and recognition programs to align with the staff's increased responsibility for results. As an example, employees who are only rewarded on store sales could also be paid a quarterly bonus based on store gross or net margin improvement.
These are just five of the many actions you can take to have your staff become more responsible for business and individual results. The thing to remember is that it begins with you, not them.
April 22, 2010
April
Musings: Difficult Conversations, A Challenge, and More
1. Don't procrastinate. Addressing problems and issues when they arise greatly reduces the stress. At the very least it reduces the amount of time you're actually stressing.
2. Avoid accusatory language. Instead of telling a person what they "should" have done, you'll both find it less stressful to talk about what he/she "could" have done or what you "would" have done.
3. Acknowledge any role that you, a customer, a colleague, or someone else played in an issue. For example, "While the customer's behavior was clearly inappropriate, the way you raised their voice with him was still not acceptable.
4. Don't dwell on the past. State the issue, why it's a problem, and then move on. Instead of focusing on what happened, focus on the behavior you want to see from that person going forward.
When I was a kid I loved those "What's
wrong with this picture?" challenges. Maybe
that's why I spot things like signs
"announcing" winter hours still posted in
April. It's easy to miss the obvious in our
stores if we're not looking for it.
Here's a fun challenge. Have each employee
today go around and find as many "What's
wrong" items they can in 10 minutes. Then
have everyone compare them. Sometimes there's
a debate about whether or not something is
really wrong, but even that conversation can
lead to some nice improvement.
Last week I wrote about being a good conversationalist. I think another sign of a good conversationalist is the ability to know where the conversation will lead before you even start it. Not because you're going to force it a certain direction, but because you know that a conversation about x will always include y and z.
Apropos of Nothing
1) A propped open door to the stockroom is
always first on my "What's wrong" list.
2) At the end of each week ask yourself if you
invested your time and focus wisely.
3) A thank you card from the owner or manager
when someone else made the sale is very
classy.
4) Using the subject line "BREAKING NEWS" in
your newsletter every now and then will get
your customer's attention. Not only will it
communicate that exciting things are happening
at your store, but it "could" lead to an
increase in your open rate.
5) How will your customer's experience be the best one of their day?
April 15, 2010
Are You a
Good Conversationalist?
Now compare that to a good conversation. When one party speaks the other one listens closely to the other and then replies, or even takes action, based on what was said.
So let me ask, how are the conversations with your customers?
Are you having a good two-way dialogue with your customers? The best retail salespeople listen as much as they talk. Their ability to engage customers in conversation comes from their desire to learn more about their customer and then use that information in the sales process.
Or are you or someone else on the staff droning on about products or the store like the bore at the function you can't wait to get away from? I believe that most associates who do this aren't even aware of how their customers perceive them. They confuse talking with having a dialogue.
For specialty retailers there's a direct link between the quality of the conversation you have with your customer and maximizing the opportunity that customer represents. Good conversationalists and intent listeners have the ability to recommend additional products, which increases average sale and units-per-transaction.
Here's a simple test you can ask yourself or someone on your staff. After a customer leaves the store, what do you know about them besides what product he/she was looking for? If you or your employee can rattle off two, three, or four things (what they own, what they like, favorite colors, etc.) about the customer or their situation, it was a good conversation.
If you or your staff member don't know anything about the customer besides what they're looking for, chances are you or you employee might be guilty of too much talking and not enough listening. At the very least, there aren't enough questions being answered.
April 7, 2010
Being a
World-Class Business
Here are three ways to have a world-class team that can deliver a world-class experience.
1. Make employee development a
foundation of your entire organization.
Most companies say it is but if you watch
their managers it's easy to see that it isn't
really. Avon CEO Andrea Jung says she has to
spend 25% of her time developing people if her
company is going to be successful. Is 25%
realistic?
Not only is it realistic, it is imperative.
It doesn't mean that managers need to spend
25% of their time in employee development
meetings. Yes, some of that time should be in
weekly and monthly one-on-one meetings, but it
also means spending time in groups and on the
floor engaging, coaching, and teaching. Some
managers work the floor and dedicate no time
to developing their staff while other managers
spend almost all of their time on the floor
developing people. The difference can be
described in two words: Intent and focus.
2. Be incredibly picky about who you hire.
As simple as that sounds, it's amazing how
many people don't get it. They hire average
people and try to turn them into world-class
employees. Wrong. Hire extraordinary people
and turn them loose in your world-class
organization.
Too often we hire people based on their
education, work history, or someone's
recommendation. Even worse, we hire someone
because of they are available. Okay, the
worst is when we hire somebody because they
can fog a mirror. But I digress.
Education, work history and the rest are
indeed important things to know about an
applicant, but they're just the starting
point. Do they WOW you? Are they interesting
and interested? Do they capture your
attention? To boil it down to one word, are
they extraordinary? Most applicants aren't,
and that's why we shouldn't hire them. What's
extraordinary to me and what's extraordinary
to you might be two different things, but what
really matters is how extraordinary links to
your extraordinary world-class customer
experience.
3. Be incredibly picky about who you keep.
The only thing worse than a bad hire is a
bad hire that stays. You've heard me say this
before: the greatest opportunity for most
companies to improve their business is to move
up or out the under-performers. This is
especially true for managers. A bad
non-managing employee will cost a business
customers, but a bad manager costs a business
customers and employees.Most people want to be
successful. Our goal is to help them be
successful with us, and if that doesn't work
out enable them to be successful somewhere
else.
So let me ask, do you have the world-class
people that deliver a world-class experience?
March 31, 2010
How Open Is
Your Door
I was reading an article about a Red Sox
player who has become more proactive in
talking with the general manager about this
year's plans. The writer commented that
"Having an open-door policy doesn't work until
somebody comes through the door."
Very true. I hear owners and managers talking
about their open-door policy, but when I ask
them what they learn as a result they almost
always say that the staff doesn't take
advantage of it. I would turn that around and
say that the owner and manager are responsible
for getting the employees through the door.
An open-door policy is an extremely effective
management tool, but it is up to us to make it
work.
Here are four tips to improving your
open-door approach:
1. Invite your employee in to talk. As
much as you'd like to think your entire staff
will waltz in and tell you what they think -
that's just not reality. No matter how you
try to position that open door, most people
are pretty guarded when talking with the boss.
While you'll always have a couple employees
who are so comfortable in talking you might
think you have a revolving door policy, the
rest of the team might need some help to
overcome that natural reticence. Regularly
inviting employees to come in and share their
thoughts will get them comfortable. When
they're comfortable they will come in when
they need to.
2. Stop whatever you're doing and give an
employee your undivided attention. I'll
admit that there were times I would try to
carry on a conversation with an employee while
simultaneously checking email and watching the
security monitors. Not cool and downright
rude.
Either stop what you're doing or ask the
employee to come back at another time if it's
not an emergency. An open door policy is
about more than a literal door.
3. Use every conversation as an opportunity
to learn how you can improve your
organization. I worked for a manager who
used to call me in the office and ask, "So
what's up?" Believe me, the conversation
peaked right there. I would answer "not much"
and then he'd talk about himself.
Ask questions like, "Tell me two things you
would change if this was your company" or
"What do you like most about your position,
and what frustrates you the most?" You get the
point.
4. Don't undermine your management team.
One of the advantages of a successful
open-door approach is having employees come to
you when they're frustrated or unhappy with
their manager. It's important to listen to
what the employee has to say, but at the same
time don't throw their manager or assistant
under the bus. You're only hearing the
employee's perspective, so be careful how you
respond.
Use the conversation as an opportunity to
coach the employee, or if necessary offer to
follow-up with them after talking with the
manager. But since you're only hearing one
side of the conversation be cautious of
unintentionally undermining the manager.
So let me ask, how open and effective is
your open-door approach?
January 20, 2010
Aligning
Expectations with Your Actions
As leaders, we know we lead by example, but we often think it is a timely or conscious decision. This quote reminds us that we're always leading by example. It's not something we turn on or off. Instead, it is something we're either aware of or not.
Any leader who tells his team, "do as I say and not as I do" is only fooling himself. Your team determines what's important by a combination of your actions and expectations. If the two aren't aligned, it communicates a lack of commitment and, not surprisingly, your employees aren't committed either.
Let me give you an example. When I was at Bose, a requirement of working in the store was to do a scripted product demonstration at the end of the Bose Music Theater show. One day I was watching one of my employees do a show and I noticed he left out part of the script.
I pulled him aside and asked why he didn't do the script as written. Much to my surprise, or maybe I should say horror, he said that I had been shortening up my script so he figured he was allowed to do the same. Yes, I had deviated from the script when I had other work to do but I never realized that anyone noticed. I learned my lesson on that one.
Aligning a leaders expectations and actions are especially important to the customer experience. A great customer experience is the result of many small actions, and if employees see a manager or owner not doing what's expected they will internalize, either consciously or unconsciously, that these small actions aren't important. The opposite is true when employees consistently see a leader do what is expected.
Do they see the leader warmly welcome customers when they enter the store? Do they hear the leader ask a customer a series of questions before they show a product? Do they see the leader always come out from behind the counter to present the customer their purchase?
How about you? Are your actions and expectations aligned? Remember, a leader leads by example, whether he/she intends to or not.
January 13, 2010
Have You
Told Them How Good They Are?
It reminded me once again that good storeowners and managers need to tell their teams that they're good at what they do. Most owners/managers fall into one of three categories.
Some owners and managers constantly let the team know how good they are but the performance doesn't necessarily reflect that. At first you might think it's because the team isn't as good as the owner/manager says it is. While that can certainly be the case, more often than not it's because the owner/manager isn't expecting enough.
I know I keep saying this but I'm going to say it again - there is a direct correlation between high expectations and specialty store results. People too often confuse mediocrity with high-performance. Managers and owners need to motivate their team to keep reaching for higher performance by nailing the basics of an extraordinary experience with every customer.
There is another group of owners and managers that have a really good team but never let them know. I once worked for a manager like that. He was a nice guy but the man never, ever, praised anyone or gave any positive feedback. He didn't give any developmental feedback of any sort. While this manager/owner may expect more from their team than the first type of owner/manager, the staff will never know it because no one ever tells them.
The best owners and managers tell the staff how good they are because, well, they are. They've set daily goals and the staff is either achieving them, or at the very least they're taking the actions necessary to reach the goal. Everyone on the team knows why he/she is being praised. Usually it's a combination of both team and individual focus and development.
I'm big on telling people how good they are because they're demonstrating right behaviors. This way, even if the results right now aren't always what we want to see, they eventually will be if the staff keeps showing that they're taking the actions necessary to get there. It's a big old wheel that the leader has to keep spinning.
Here's what I want you think about. In what area could you walk up right now and tell your team how good they are? Wait; before you head off to do this, what do you think they will say? Okay, now ask them. If their answer matches yours, you're right on the money. If they don't match, think about what developmental work you should be doing with the staff.
Go ahead; tell your team how good they are. I'm sure they've earned it.
January 6, 2010
Your 2009-2010
Difference - Part Two
But as I noted last week, it's just as important to see where you fell short, maybe missed an opportunity, or didn't take action when you should have or could have. I know a few people won't look at these shortcomings because it makes feel like they failed.
I think it's only a failure when you don't address areas that need improved. Call it a delayed reaction! It's all perspective isn't it?
So here are the top five things the retailers I've been engaged with this year need to improve on as they move into 2010.
1. Be more strategic in how they run their businesses. While this is true for both high-performing and struggling retailers, it's vital for those stores who aren't doing as well as they hoped. I still see too many companies that are in a slow death spiral and no one is working a well-defined plan to reverse it.
2. Address a major problem that is having a negative on the company and results. Most of the time this is a person, and sometimes it's a family member. Problems rarely go away on their own, no matter how much you try to avoid them or sweep them under the rug. It's not fun to deal with people issues but the pain of not dealing with them is a whole lot worse.
3. Become more aggressive in capturing and using customer contact information. Maybe obsessive is a better word. If you're not obsessive about building and adding to a customer database, you're not maximizing your opportunities and leaving money on the table.
4. Hold people more accountable. Way too many managers and owners let employees opt out of what are supposedly required activities and behaviors. If there's no accountability and consequences then those behaviors and actions are not required, they're optional. Rewarding and recognizing people is also important to maintaining high expectations and high performance.
5. Continue to challenge the staff to become even better. At the end of every month (or quarter) you should be able to review with every employee how he/she has grown and developed. A lot of people do this with under-performing employees, but they don't always push the good or great employees to become even better. It's amazing how great people can be if leaders encourage and lead them.
What about you? What can you learn from in 2009 and do better in 2010? Again, I encourage you to write them down and share them with someone else. Even more important, determine what one or two actions you'll take on each one to ensure you create the success you deserve.
So let me ask, as you close the books on 2009 are you ready to parlay that into an extraordinary 2010?
December 30, 2009
Your 2009-2010
Difference - Part One
Personally, I don't read or watch these stories since I've already lived through it once. Why spend time on something when you already know the outcome?
What's more important is to review your own story of 2009. That's the one that can make a positive difference in 2010.
Most people learn and experience more in a year than they ever realize. And therein lies the opportunity. By taking an inventory of how you developed as a leader, manager, employee, parent, spouse, and friend, you're able to see how you have grown in those areas.
Just as important is seeing how you fell short, missed an opportunity, or didn't take action when you should or could have. Many people can't do this because they internalize it as failing, but it's only failure when you don't try to learn from it. It's better to see whatever it is as a shortcoming that can be corrected and leveraged in the coming year.
I have worked with and engaged with a number of retailers over the last year. If I had to collectively sum them all up, these are the top five things these individuals learned and developed in 2009.
1. To create high performance you must have high expectations. As simple as this sounds, most people have high aspirations with little expectations.
2. Fix or remove under-performers. I can't tell you the number of times a client or reader told me they wished they had fixed or removed a problem employee sooner. No one ever told me they took action too quickly.
3. You have to be responsible for your own traffic. This was the year that a lot of specialty retailers figured out that hoping for walk-in traffic is not an effective strategy. Retailers who worked hard this year in communicating with and engaging this customer base on a regular basis were rewarded this past holiday.
4. Daily success comes from developing and motivating employees every day. Not a week or monthly meeting, not a memo or an email, but leaders leading at every opportunity. Not surprisingly, these are the staffs that performed at the highest level.
5. It's always, always, about the customer. This isn't something these retailers learned this year - it's something they've always known and have continued to put into practice in spite of the economy and other challenges.
How about you? What are the top five things you learned and experienced over the last 364 days? Invest in yourself and write them down. Even better, write them down and share them with someone else. (I'd love to hear them.) Celebrate your list as you carry these lessons and personal growth in to 2010.
Next week we'll look at the areas that retailers fell short, and what they can do to correct and benefit from in the year ahead.
December 23, 2009
That "Crazy"
Lady with the Return
I met her before she made it to the counter and asked how I could her help her. She demanded to see the manager. When I told her I could help her she asked if I was the manager. I told her no, but I was the manager on duty. She looked at me with disdain and said, "I guess that will have to do."
She informed me that we had "ruined her Christmas" since the gift she had bought from us for her son didn't work when he plugged it in. She demanded to know what I was going to do about the ruined Christmas. Of course I apologized and told her how sorry I was that the product didn't work but I would be happy to replace it. She looked at me and said, "That's fine but I asked what you're going to do about the ruined Christmas."
I was pretty speechless. Other than replacing the product and apologizing I wasn't sure what else I could do. Long story short, she stomped out of the store with her new product but angry because we couldn't fix her ruined Christmas.
After she left I was standing on the floor talking to one of the sales associates about the crazy lady who wanted me to fix her holiday, ruined because of some defective product. While we were having a good laugh about the lady the daughter walked back into the store and approached me.
She said to me, "I want to apologize for how my mother just acted. Usually she's a very nice lady but she just gets so upset when everything at Christmas isn't perfect. You see, she didn't have much growing up so she now overcompensates with us kids. She was just so excited about giving my brother that pinball machine and when it didn't work she was more upset than my brother. I'm sorry." And she left the store.
It made me realize that our customers often have a big emotional investment in the holidays and when things don't go as they hope they can be extremely disappointed. The result is that they sometimes take out their disappointment on us. After the daughter left the store I realized I felt badly for the mother and decided that I would try to fix things. Later that day I called the mother and invited her to bring her son in the next day.
When they came to the store I presented her son with two small gifts that we had specially wrapped for him. You could tell he appreciated it but was a little taken back by the attention. I looked over at the mother and she was beaming from ear to ear, clearly pleased that we had fixed her Christmas. At that moment I knew we had done the right thing.
Remember, doing the right thing and making the customer happy doesn't mean you're admitting that you or your staff did anything wrong. You're just admitting that you like to do the right thing.
Our goal for the rest of December is:
1. Try to make as many customers happy as possible.
2. Turn returns into exchanges, and exchanges into sales.
3. Always try to do
the right thing from the customer's
perspective.
Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas - or Happy Hanukkah - or if you have no holiday preference a Happy Day!
December 16, 2009
7 Ways to
Maximize Every Holiday Opportunity
Let me share with you some things to consider saying and doing with your customers - although I'd think long and hard before I actually used the first two.
You could try the threat method. "You either spend more or I take a hairdryer to the snowman."
The guilt approach does work but might be hard for most of us to pull off. "Only you know how good a husband you've really been. Should I keep showing you more items?"
Now for some more serious suggestions.
1. One way to be successful this week is to change your mindset about how you approach the customer. Instead of "showing" the customer something to buy, approach the customer with the attitude that you are there to help him/her select the right gift. Nobody should walk out empty handed. Here are some quick hits that will do just that and are sure to lead to an additional sale.
"This will be perfect."
"She/he will love this."
"You have to see this."
"I've got the perfect gift for him/her right over here."
2. Since you're helping the customer select gifts you should also assist them with their decision to buy. You also need to do this so you can serve as many customers as possible. To do so successfully, try a few of these effective lines.
"Shall I gift wrap that for you?"
"Why don't I put one behind the counter for you?"
"That's a great choice. Shall we go with that?"
3. One very effective way to sell more during the holidays is to ask questions that the customer will answer with a yes. When they do, it gives you perfect opening to complete the purchase of that item.
"Don't you think he's really going to like that?" (Customer answers yes.) "Great, I'll grab one so they don't sell out."
"Will she be thrilled to receive that?" (Customer answers yes.) "I agree. Do you want that gift wrapped?"
4. After a customer has decided on one item don't offer to show them additional similar items. Just keep showing them the rest of the fabulous products you sell.
"This will go perfectly with that."
"Now you just have to see this."
"I've got something else I know you'll want to see."
"Now look at this. . . . "
5. Once a customer decides on a product you can also find out if maybe that isn't also a good gift for someone else on their list.
"Do you have someone else on your list who would appreciate receiving this?"
6. And even though most people are out shopping for gifts, we all love to treat ourselves as well.
"How about treating yourself today?"
"Would you like one for you?"
"Now how about something for you?"
7. And last but not least, here are some things you don't want to say:
"Will that be all?"
"Feel free to think it over."
"If they don't like it they can always return it." I'm guilty of this one but it really is the lazy way to make sales. Why plant the seed that the gift will not be appreciated? If you need to say something at least say something like, "I'm sure they're going to love it but if for some reason they don't they can always exchange it."
Have an awesome week. Good luck and happy holiday selling.
December 9, 2009
Three and
Sixteen Days to Go
1. Take time over the next few days to check in with each employee and review his/her seasonal performance to date. Ask each employee to identify how they've best contributed to the results so far, and what one or two actions can they take to improve their performance even more. It takes constant improvement by each member of the team to create extraordinary holiday results.
2. Are you and your staff recommending or showing multiple products? Sometimes when associates show multiple products they unwittingly lead the customer to choose between products, not two or more of them. Avoid using the word "or." Say "and" or "both."
3. This is a great week to call your best customers and invite them in for some personal shopping time. You might consider having a special gift for them to demonstrate your appreciation for their loyalty.
4. If you have a business crowd who shops during the lunch hours you might offer sandwiches or a buffet to keep them in the store longer. If you have an email list you can promote this with a quick invitation to join you for a "holiday lunch while you shop."
5. Make a list of what you'd like to accomplish this week if you have a little extra time. Whenever the store is slow and you have plenty of staff, spend fifteen minutes working on your list. Then go back on the floor and wait for the next opportunity. You'll be amazed how much you can get done when you're ready to take advantage of a brief lull.
6. No matter what you're doing, if you are the owner or manager you need to always be the reference standard when working with a customer. Whether it's recommending multiple products, introducing yourself to the customer, or adding on, you can never fall short of excellence. Believe me, the one time you do it the entire staff will be watching.
Here's a final thing to consider.
7. If you raised all of your prices 10% tonight, what actions could you take tomorrow to keep your sales from falling off? Think about it.
Now if you take those actions without raising your prices I bet you can increase your sales 10% or more. Right? Hmmm...
Have a great day and be extraordinary!
December 2, 2009
Needs,
Wants, and an Extraordinary Shopping Experience
Owner:
Our goal during the holiday is to sell our
customers what they want and quickly get them
on their way.
Me:
How do you know what the customer wants?
Owner:
They tell us.
Me:
But do you know that's what they really need?
Owner:
Isn't it the same?
Me:
Not always, especially during the holidays.
What most people want to
buy during the holidays is a gift that will
make someone happy. What they need depends
on what product they should buy to make the
recipient happy.
Owner:
But don't some people know what they need to
buy?
Me:
Absolutely. Someone who has done her
research before coming into a store knows what
she needs to buy. Or if you're asked to pick
up a specific item for someone then obviously
you know what you need to buy. But most
customers at this time of year have more of a
"want" than know precisely what they "need."
Owner:
So our goal of having what the customer wants
is incorrect?
Me:
I wouldn't say it's incorrect. Your goal
should be to understand more about the
customer's wants so you can then help him
choose what he needs.
Owner:
And how do we do that?
Me:
First things first. Don't focus on
what
you're selling until you know a little
something about
who
your customer is shopping for.
I like to think we should sell the
same way the customer makes their list. That
means working with the customer by who,
not what,
is on their shopping list.
Owner:
But who has time for that during the
holidays?
Me:
We all do. It only takes a few
seconds to ask a question or two about the
intended recipient of the gift;
less time than we take droning on
about products that may or may not be what our
customer needs.
Owner:
Can we really do that when we're busy?
Me:
We can and I think we have to. It will not
only help you sell more of whatever it is the
customer needs but it also helps keep your
return rate down. Granted, as the season gets
busier and busier you may not be able to do
this with every single customer but if you
can, you should.
Owner:
I'm just concerned that we won't get
customers out the door as fast they want.
Me:
I question your assumption that every
customer wants to get out of your store as
fast as humanly possible. What almost
all customers want is to have a pleasurable
shopping experience, especially in an
extraordinary specialty store.
While getting checked out quickly and
efficiently is certainly part of it for many
of them, it's not the only part. They want to
feel good about their purchase and their
experience in your store. As an example,
thanking a customer and presenting them their
purchase is more important than hurrying them
out to wait on the next customer.
Owner:
But won't that upset others in line?
Me:
Not if the people waiting can see that the
process is moving quickly and efficiently as
well as pleasantly. It's easy to
strike a balance if you focus on the customer
and making sure that her entire checkout
process is enjoyable. So if
you think about it, your goal is to know what
the customer wants so you can help her buy
what she needs and make sure the shopping
experience is one the customer enjoys.
Okay so it wasn't a life changing
conversation, but I can guarantee that
if you sell by
who
and not what
you'll sell more. Our clients
who did this were up 30% on Black Friday
weekend. It works!
So let me ask, how well do you and your
team know what the customer needs so you can
help him/her buy what he/she needs and to make
sure the shopping experience is an
extraordinary one?
November 24, 2009
Will You
Make the Difference?
Are you?
I believe that some specialty retailers are going to have an extraordinary holiday this year. Some will have a good holiday; others fall short. Some will fall so far short they may not survive their poor performance.
I'm sure those retailers who fall short will blame the economy, discounters, and the Internet.
Let's turn that excuse around. Do you think the specialty retailers who have a good holiday season are going to say they were successful because of the economy? Of course not. Will they say they beat the discounters and the Internet? I doubt it.
Retailers who do well this holiday will say they made it happen. "They" meaning the owner/manager and his/her entire staff made it happen.
Sure, some retailers might tell you they were blessed or lucky to do well in the 2009 holiday, but make no mistake - when we look back in January 2010 at the just-concluded holiday season it will be clear that they made it happen.
They were the difference. Or should I say they will be the difference?
As we stand at the starting line of the "official" start to the holiday, will you be a difference maker?
It doesn't matter what your position is since it will take each and every staff member to create a successful holiday. It's going to take a strong manager/owner, assistant, permanent employees, and seasonal staff. Everyone.
How? That part is easy. Maximize EVERY single customer opportunity. Deliver an extraordinary experience that results in an extraordinary sale. Focus and drive will result in the performance necessary to be successful this holiday.
A lot of retailers disagree with my premise that people in the store can and will make the difference between a good and bad holiday. Then again, these are the same people who believe their holiday is almost predetermined by the economy, the discounters and the Internet.
So let me ask again, will you be a difference maker this year? The only one who will establish that is you.
Doug
To our US readers: Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family, and your entire staff.
November 18, 2009
Start a
Customer Service War!
Forget price wars: I want to see a Customer Service war. I want to see companies try to one-up each other over who can deliver the best service. Instead of dropping prices by a penny, add another something you do for the customer.
Of course the big discounters will never do this because they don't really focus on service. It's not their competitive advantage. But it is the competitive advantage for specialty and independent stores. Shouldn't they be starting a Customer Service war? As a matter of fact, shouldn't you be starting one every day?
To win the war you obviously have to be better and more consistent than the competition. Here are some things you might be able to declare:
* We warmly welcome every customer. We're happy you've come to our store and it shows.
* We treat customers like old friends. Many of you are.
* We call customers by name and are happy when they know ours.
* We make our customers comfortable by sometimes serving drinks and snacks.
* We understand our customers needs and wants before we recommend products.
* We provide a great experience for the entire family, including the children.
* We offer unique and interesting products at competitive prices.
* All of our employees are product experts. More importantly, our employees are customer experts. You won't find a better staff anywhere.
* Our store is fun. One thing you'll always find in stock is a smile.
* We make shopping easy. The same holds true for returns and exchanges.
* We offer special touches that our competition doesn't. This might include free seminars, free gift-wrapping, special delivery, charitable events, etc.
* Our checkout process is fast and efficient, but more important it's enjoyable.
* We're thankful for our customers and we prove it with thank you cards, follow-up calls, and invitations to future events.
* No matter how busy the store, our employees are able to work with multiple customers and still give individual service. It's an art and we're good at it.
* We understand that we're not going to be a customer's only retailer but we'll do whatever it takes to be their favorite retailer.
I say let the big box stores duke it out over who can sell the farthest below cost. That's a war that none of us can ever win and unless you're Walmart, Target or Amazon you'll be a big loser if you try.
Win the Customer Service war. That's a war worth fighting.
So let me ask, would you win the Customer Service war in your area? Isn't it time you declare war?
November 11, 2009
The Holiday
Season - It's On!
I know many people are fundamentally opposed to acknowledging the holiday season before Thanksgiving. A friend of mine refuses to even discuss the holidays in his store before Thanksgiving. I believe this has hurt him in the past and I think that if he keeps it up it will hurt him even more this year.
It's on. Are you?
Consumers know that Black Friday will offer incredible deals. They also know that retailers are likely to have less inventory this holiday than previously. We're already hearing customers asking if something will be in stock this holiday. Scarcity could be as big a motivator as price this year.
My recommendation is to approach every customer today the same way you will on the day after Thanksgiving. Most retailers won't be thinking that way; that's why you're more successful than they are. Let them wait another two weeks while you maximize your early November.
Here are five ways to profit from treating every day like it's Black Friday:
1. Assume the customer is holiday shopping. Many customers won't be but studies show that over half of all consumers start their holiday shopping before Thanksgiving. Many started last year December 26. Your own assumptions have the biggest impact on your early November sales.
2. Suggest the customer do their holiday shopping while they (and you) have time to work together one-on-one. Isn't it more relaxing to do your holiday shopping when the crowds are minimal and the pace is slower? You can even offer to hum Christmas songs if that helps get them in the mood. I'm kidding. Or not.
3. Ask who else is on their shopping list. Just by getting the customer to mentally go through their holiday list you're able to create additional opportunities. This is a very simple and effective action that not enough retailers do.
4. Use scarcity to create urgency. As noted above, customers know that if they wait too long to make their purchase they may not find what they want or need. Don't use it as a scare tactic, but there's no reason not to mention it since it's probably the case.
5. Reward the customer for purchasing now. For those in a position to do so, offering a gift with purchase or some other reward for buying early is a great way to encourage customers to start their holiday shopping early. At the very least, offer to wrap the present at no charge.
November 4, 2009
Crank Up
Your Store Meetings and Fire Up Your Team
However, it is imperative that these meetings are productive, engaging, and result in a positive return on the time and payroll investment. Companies can't afford poorly run and poorly executed meetings.
Years ago I worked for a store manager who was scared to death to speak in front of group of people even if those people were her employees. Because of that our monthly store meetings consisted of her reading from a script while she fanned us with the shaking papers in her hands. We always thought about positioning an employee behind her in case she passed out. I was never sure who was in more pain, the staff or the manager.
I'm sure you run your meetings more smoothly than she did but since there's always room for improvement, here are some tips to crank up your meetings and fire up your team.
1. Don't use meeting time to transfer information. Unless you're hiring pre-school students, your staff can read and they don't need anyone to read memos to them. Assign all necessary reading before a meeting. The same holds true for new product information. Even if you're planning a splashy introduction of the product itself at the meeting, have the employees learn about them before the meeting starts.
2. Make the first five minutes of every staff meeting a WOW. Dress up as some character, crank up some music, have the employees up and dancing, throw candy and treats, do anything else you can do to get your team excited and pumped up. Yes, it gets harder and harder to top what you did last time, but since we expect our people to keep improving the customer experience shouldn't we do the same?
3. Introduce new products with style and flair. At Bose we went to great lengths to unveil new products to the entire company. I've come across very few employees who don't love getting to see - and play with - new products. Even when the staff knows the products are coming in you can still make the first time people see them a fun experience.
4. Use the meeting to apply what people have learned. Instead of discussing the details of a new product, talk about how to sell the new product. Do roleplaying and a competition on who can best state the benefits to the customer.
5. Play games (with a little friendly competition) to reinforce learning. I always like to split the staff up in teams and play games like Jeopardy and Retail Truth or Dare. And if you have any high school or college memories of Truth or Dare I assure you that this version is not like that one! Think role-playing and product knowledge.
A good store meeting should involve and engage the entire store team. The majority of the owner's/manager's time should be in planning the meeting, and not having to carry the whole meeting him/herself.
So let me ask, how engaging are your meetings and trainings?
October 28, 2009
The Eyes
Have It
One of the
"skills" I found very useful when I worked in
a store was the ability to do many things at
once. Most
people call this multi-tasking. I called it
retail.
The longer I worked in retail the better I
became at doing many tasks simultaneously. I
could check in an order, deal with a customer
issue and answer an employee's questions all
at the same time without missing a beat. And
that's when things at the store were slow.
When I moved
into the corporate office at Bose I found the
pace maddeningly slow.
What really drove me nuts was that it seemed
like people only did one thing at time. I used
to tell people in the office they'd never make
it in the stores.
One day after a meeting a colleague pulled me
aside to give me some feedback. I had worked
with Pete for a while and knew him to be a
straight shooter although I didn't always like
what he had to say. Pete
told me that my behavior in the meeting had
bordered on rude. I
had no idea what he was talking about.
He told me that
people didn't think I cared what they had to
say since I didn't pay attention when they
were talking.
I was flabbergasted. I told Pete that I was
always paying attention even though I might
have been doing a few other things at the same
time.
Pete told me something I've never forgotten. He
said, "You might have heard them, but you
weren't listening. To listen you have to use
your ears and your eyes."
I tried to explain that it was just a habit I
had from working in the stores and he said,
"Well, it was rude then, too."
Ouch. I realized he was right. From
that day forward I tried to listen with both
my ears and eyes. I'm
sure I failed from time to time when meetings
started to drag on, but all in all I did use
my eyes a lot more.
The best
salespeople always listen with their eyes.
While some salespeople are looking around the
store or watching colleagues when a customer
is talking, the best salespeople are
completely focused on their customer whenever
he or she is talking. Not
surprisingly, hearing more allows them to sell
more.
Whatever your position in a retail
organization, when you take the time to listen
with both your ears and your eyes, you can't
help but make a stronger connection with the
other person. And
isn't that ultimately how we make a difference
in both our stores and in our lives?
And Some
Miscellaneous Musings
1) With Halloween on Saturday this year I
recommend going all out to make your store a
great experience this weekend. It's
opportunities like this that let your store
experience stand head and shoulders above the
competition.
2) New research shows that high-potential
employees are motivated by a desire to give
back to their communities and increasingly
seek out employers that allow them to do so on
the job. Something to consider as you go into
the holiday or post-holiday season.
3) Speaking of giving back, two weeks ago at
the Brighton store manager's meeting all 140+
managers spent one evening at different
shelters and organizations helping women in
need. What a great activity for a manager's
meeting!
Have a Happy Halloween and a great week.
October 20, 2009
Demonstrating Your First Priority
The weeks between now and mid-November can be a challenging time for many store owners and managers. There's seasonal staff to be hired and brought on board, holiday orders to being finalized, marketing and events to be planned.
But that's just the start. The holiday orders are arriving and seasonal merchandising needs to be completed. And it never fails during this time that something unexpected happens in the store or with the staff.
There's one big difference during this time between successful owners and managers and the rest. It's a difference that has nothing to do with the holiday. The difference is that successful owners and managers are never too busy to keep the staff focused on their first priority: each and every customer who comes in to the store.
More important, the owner and manager demonstrate that priority every day. No matter how long the to-do list, they understand that it's their actions that demonstrate to their staff that their first priority is the customer.
Here are five reminders for how you can demonstrate that customers are still your first priority, even while you're busy getting ready for the holidays.
1. Start every employee's day with a Daily Take Five. To me this is a given but sometimes we can let the morning get rolling and let it slip. Don't let it. (You can read about the Daily Take Five here.)
2. Be on the floor during peak times. Yes, peak times during the weekday aren't insanely busy and the staff may get by without you, but being on the floor when the store is busy demonstrates your priority to your team.
3. The minute you're on the floor you're working the floor. Sometimes our body may be on the sales floor but our mind is still on our projects in the office. Don't let that happen! Your entire team will be watching and will notice if you miss a chance to engage a customer. Remember, when you're on the floor you're "on".
4. Don't be too quick to hand off customers to a staff member. It never fails that if you walk away from your holiday work and go on the floor that every customer comes to you instead of the staff. I'm not saying to not hand them off when the time is right, but doing so immediately demonstrates that your first priority isn't the customer.
5. Check in with your team from time to time about what's taking place on the floor. You do have a lot of things to get done that are critical to your holiday and by all means do them. But also take some breaks to check in with the team. Don't just go out and say, "Is everything okay? Good, call me if you need me." Instead, find out what's been sold and who's been in the store.
Taking these actions will remind your staff that even though you're busy getting ready for the holidays, your first priority is still the same. The customer.
So let me ask, are you demonstrating your first priority?
October 13, 2009
Four Words
That Will Transform Your Business
All I could think was "look at all these opportunities." It was enough to make my retail heart go pitter-patter. Judging from the number of bags in people's hands I would say that most stores had a good day. Some might have even had a great day.
But if my experience was like most customers, the stores that had a good day could have had a great day, and the stores that had a great day could have had an extraordinary day - if they had remembered these four simple words:
Maximize every customer opportunity.
Knowing how to greet and engage customers doesn't matter if you don't do it with every customer.
The ability to help customers make informed decisions about the latest fashions or a product's features and benefits doesn't matter if you don't do it with every customer.
Recommending additional products that will enhance a customer's purchase and his/her life doesn't matter if you don't do it with every customer.
Having fabulous new products or incredible sale doesn't matter if people don't know about them. Sure, you can post signs to that effect but nothing reinforces the message more than an employee enthusiastically telling me about them. But it doesn't matter if you don't do it with every customer.
Lots of store traffic is a wonderful thing but you leave money on the table if you don't maximize every customer opportunity.
Maximizing every customer opportunity sounds simple but if it were that easy, more retailers would be doing it. I'd say that fewer than 10% of specialty retailers maximize every customer opportunity.
I'm not saying this to be negative but quite the opposite. It's exciting because I see incredible opportunity for retailers like you if you make maximizing every customer opportunity the foundation of what you do.
Almost all retailers talk about how important customers are. Very few stress how important every customer is and the impact that has on business.
Look at the difference.
Welcome and engage customers.
Welcome and engage every customer.
Suggest products and services to the customer.
Suggest products and services to every customer.
Offer additional add-ons.
Offer additional add-ons to every customer.
Deliver a great customer experience.
Deliver a great experience to every customer.
Makes sales.
Make sales to every customer.
Maximize your opportunities.
Maximize every customer opportunity.
So let me ask, are you maximizing every customer opportunity?
If not, consider the impact doing so will have on your business if it becomes your number one priority.
October 6, 2009
Is It Time
to Upgrade?
Whenever the spinning ball appeared I would tell myself that I ought to upgrade the MacBook memory. Then the spinning ball would disappear and so would the upgrade idea. This pattern repeated itself more often than I care to admit.
The other day I read something online, one thing led to another, and I finally got around to ordering and installing that new memory. It essentially doubled the memory on my MacBook.
The difference is unbelievable. No, the difference is UNBELIEVABLE. My MacBook is now lightening fast, no spinning ball and my productivity has skyrocketed. It's like I have a brand new computer.
The total cost for this amazing difference was $39.90 and 15 minutes of my time.
What's really unbelievable is the amount of time and productivity I wasted thinking and talking about upgrading my computer instead of just doing it.
The same thing happens in stores every day.
Someone might put off painting the store and as a result the space looks tired and old. That's a missed upgrade.
Some retailers hold on to products too long, determined to get full price. Then they can't bring in new and exciting products that will actually turn. That's a missed upgrade.
Sometimes retailers stay with lines that are no longer relevant to their customer, which keeps them from bringing in new ones. That's a missed upgrade.
I hear a lot of stores talking about doing a Facebook page, an electronic newsletter or more events. But month after month they just haven't found the time to do anything about it. That's a missed upgrade.
There are sales associates that aren't working to improve key elements of their sales approach. They might be really good, but they could be GREAT. That's a missed upgrade.
There are managers and owners who fail to address under-performing employees who are costing them sales and losing them customers. That's a missed upgrade.
What about you? What are some of the upgrades you've been thinking and talking about but just haven't done? Your particular upgrade is probably going to cost you more than the $39.90 and 15 minutes mine did, but what's the true cost of not doing it? Even better, what will be the reward for doing so?
So let me ask, what upgrade do you need to start today?
September 30, 2009
Expert,
Clerk, or Somewhere In-Between?
After trying on the jacket I told the woman working at the store that it was perfect. She insisted that it wasn't and that she needed to hem the sleeves. I responded that I was in a hurry and since it was really just a costume for a speech it didn't matter. She told me that it did matter and if I didn't adjust the sleeve length it wouldn't look right when I raised my arm.
She was clearly an expert so I agreed to wait for her to hem the sleeves. I'm glad I did. I even thanked her for the great service and for being an expert.
Compare that to another recent shopping excursion. The salesperson let me into the dressing room and when I came out she was nowhere in sight. I eventually found her on the other side of the store talking to another employee.
Since I wanted an expert opinion I went up to her and asked what she thought of this shirt. She replied, "Any of our shirts will look good."
She was clearly a clerk, not an expert, so I left without making a purchase. I didn't say anything because she was too busy chatting with her colleague.
There's a huge difference in performance between an expert and a clerk.
1. Experts take the time to know their customers before matching them with products. Clerks don't.
2. Experts recommend products and service specifically for their customers. Clerks show products.
3. Experts share opinions with their customers to help them make the best possible purchase. Clerks give their personal opinion for no reason.
4. Experts help customers buy additional products that will enhance what they are buying or will enhance the customer's life. Clerks do add-ons because they're told to.
5. Experts have no problem telling a customer not to buy something if it isn't the right product for them. Clerks probably wouldn't know if it isn't the right product.
6. Experts proudly sell. Clerks are afraid of being a salesperson.
7. Experts ask questions. Clerks only answer them.
8. Experts create sales. Clerks make them.
9. Experts are an asset to the company. Clerks are on the payroll.
10. Experts have my admiration. Clerks have my appreciation.
So let me ask, are you an expert, clerk, or somewhere in-between?
September 23, 2009
Dealing With
Mr. or Ms. Cranky
In my years of managing a retail staff I've had the privilege of working with some wonderful people. These are people that I thoroughly enjoyed working with. I'm still friendly with a number of former colleagues today. Of course these aren't the people to whom my friend was referring.
He was talking about people like James. (Name changed to protect the guilty.) James was a full-timer who constantly went back and forth between being the nicest guy in the mall and the crankiest. What made James really difficult to work with is that he could switch back and forth faster than you or I could wipe down a cashwrap. James was a great salesperson but, to say the least, a challenging teammate.
Got any cranky people on your staff?
I do - and since I usually work alone we know who the cranky one is!
We're all human. We all have up days and down days, but when an employee has too many down days or too many moody days it becomes a problem that impacts the entire team. And when that happens it impacts the quality of the customer experience and ultimately sales. Not good!
Here are few tips to deal with Mr. or Ms Cranky:
1. Don't make excuses for them. We all have things going on in our lives. Some people from time to time have a lot to deal with outside and sometimes inside the store, but that still doesn't give anyone the permission to act in a way that negatively impacts the rest of the team. That doesn't mean we're not empathetic, but it does mean that we can't allow anyone to constantly display behaviors that impact the store in a negative manner.
2. Address the cranky (or worse) behavior as soon as it becomes a problem. Most of us can have some (sometimes justifiable) cranky moments from time to time but the moment passes and we move on. But when Mr. or Ms. Cranky can't seem to stop sharing the bad attitude and dark cloud you need to take action.
3. Help Mr. or Ms Cranky turn it around. Let them know what behaviors you are seeing, the negative impact it is having on the team, your expectations for the behaviors to stop, and your confidence that the individual can snap out of it.
You can't say, "Whoa, someone got up on the wrong side of bed" and expect things to get better. Instead you might say, "I notice that when talking with so and so you were extremely short with them and were very dismissive. (behavior) Because of that everyone is avoiding you and it's impacting how we work together today. (impact) I need you to be more respectful with your teammates (expectations) and I'm sure that won't be a problem for you. (stated confidence)"
Chances are Mr. or Ms. Cranky doesn't even realize they're acting this way because they're in such a cranky mood, and they'll be even a bit embarrassed that you've had to address it. The really cranky employees sometimes get even crankier as a result of your talk. You may need to move forward with a more formal corrective action approach with these folks.
Here's the bottom line. If Mr. or Ms. Cranky's behavior is disruptive to the store, then it doesn't matter how good they are or what position they're in. They're hurting the team, and as a leader you can't allow that to happen. More important, you have to be positive that you're not Mr. or Ms. Cranky.
So let me ask, are you addressing any cranky employees and helping them turn it around?
September 16, 2009
After "I'll
Take It."
These are a few of the attitudes they have and/or the actions they take:
1. Whether you call it enhancing the sale, or adding-on to the sale, successful retail associates know that they just made the first sale, not the sale. We're doing customers a disservice if we don't suggest additional products that are appropriate with the product they are purchasing or otherwise meet their needs. As you've read here before, think of it as an all-you-can-eat buffet and don't stop until the customer tells you he's full.
2. Reinforce the customer's purchase. So often a customer's first thought after announcing that she'll buy something is to start doubting her decision. She'll begin to tell herself that maybe she shouldn't be buying it now or that should shop around a little more. Your role is to put the customer at ease by complimenting her purchase and congratulating her. This is easy to do if you've done due diligence in identifying what it is your customer needs.
3. Offer the appropriate services and needed accessories. I'm always amazed how many retailers have nice added services like free gift-wrapping in place but their employees never offer it to customers. Even worse is when associates act put-upon when a customer requests it. We can easily disappoint a customer once they return home when they realize that we failed to gift-wrap their purchase or remind them to purchase needed products like batteries, cables, etc. It's our job to ask the customer, not the other way around.
4. Remain focused on the customer until he/she has left the store. If you're checking the customer out it is important that you not let other employees and customers distract you. The other day I was making a purchase and the cashier was actually reading a text message on his phone. I thought about asking him his phone number so I could send him a text message to put down the phone and do his job.
5. Smile and thank the customer. It should go without saying but all too often it goes unsmiled and unsaid.
So let me ask, are you a Superstar retail associate or in the middle of the pack?
September 9, 2009
Your True
Incremental Value
But what is the incremental value you offer really worth, and is it something the customer sees as adding to their experience?
Consider this. What if your store was empty? What if you not only quit selling products, but also took everything out of store except for your counter and some chairs? Would your customer still visit? Would your store be the first place your customer turns to for advice and an opinion?
I think these are fascinating questions since they define the true incremental value you and your team delivers.
I can think of a few stores I would still visit. One obvious choice is the Apple store. Even if the place were devoid of products I would still go there to ask questions, and probably hang out and shoot the breeze.
I know I would also go to Jordan's Furniture store. It's is the only store in town that not only contains a trapeze school and an IMAX theatre but also boasts a replica of the Massachusetts State House made out of jellybeans.
I would also stop in and visit Kathy Fields at The Crafty Yankee, a wonderful store not too far from my home. I know that if I asked Kathy or a member of her staff for advice on gift buying they would have some fabulous suggestions.
These stores deliver incremental value besides the products they sell.
There are many more stores I would never go in again. The only reason to go to these stores is because they sell something I want or need. Because of that I have no loyalty to them. Given any reasonable alternative I have no reason to ever go back. These stores have little, if any, incremental value.
Maybe some of these stores have incremental value than I've ever seen but because they didn't deliver it proactively when I was there to make a purchase I wouldn't think to go back now that they don't have any product.
Here's an exercise for you and your team. List five to ten ways your store offers incremental value. Maybe you teach people how to pack, or share with your customer the latest fashions. The value is dependent on what you say. . . or maybe I should say what you used to say with what you use to sell.
Now ask yourselves what percentage of the customer's experience consists of that incremental value? Are you proactively delivering that value?
So let me ask, would you still have customers if you were no longer selling products?
September 2, 2009
A Flawless
Experience Resulting in a Sale
I don't believe this is the case for most of you. I don't think you can read The Retail Contrarian on a regular basis and deliver a poor or even mediocre experience. As a matter of fact, I believe that most of you deliver an above average -if not outstanding - customer experience.
But that doesn't mean that there still isn't an opportunity for you to do even better. And when there are opportunities, there can be more sales, more loyal customers, and more advocates. And that creates even more sales. It's a beautiful thing.
Imagine if every customer who walked in the door was delivered a flawless experience resulting in a sale. Can you imagine? Every customer is WOW'd and every customer makes a purchase. A close rate of 100%! I'm all verklempt. Talk among yourselves. (If that doesn't make sense, ask an older colleague.)
So do it. Imagine it and then execute it.
What would you have to do TODAY to deliver a flawless experience?
Everyone focused on the floor? Check.
Not ask experience-killer questions like "May I help you?" Check.
Quickly build a strong personal rapport with every customer? I know they all don't want that, but that's okay because a flawless experience is based on the customer's perceptions and not ours, right? Check.
So what will it take for your store to get there?
Now imagine every customer making a purchase. That's a little harder isn't it? It is, but if you don't strive for a high goal you'll never come close. I don't think it's impossible.
What would you have to do TODAY to make a sale to every customer?
Treat every customer as though he/she is in the store to make a purchase? Check.
Get past those "just looking" comments? That's a tough one because we have to do it while delivering a flawless experience. Nobody said being an outstanding retailer is easy! Check.
Recommend products with energy and passion? Check
So what will it take for your store to get there?
Are you and your team up for the challenge? Are you willing to do what it takes today to deliver a flawless experience to every customer so it results in a sale? Even better, are you up for the challenge to do this through the WEEKEND? Here in the states it's a three-day holiday weekend. Imagine the opportunities!
Remember, the expectations we set for ourselves ultimately determine our customer's experience AND our success.
I think you'll be amazed at what you and your team can do.
August 26, 2009
The
Exceptional Experience Line
The challenge for all of us is that this line is different for every customer. The opportunity is that the Exceptional Experience Line for most customers is usually within a certain bandwidth based upon common points of references, i.e. mostly average and sub-par experiences in their everyday activities.
Why do so many companies fail to get their customer to - and beyond - the positive experience line?
It's because most don't try, and if they're someone like a big-box retailer it probably doesn't matter since they're competing on low prices, convenient locations, and wide selection. Any positive experience is icing on the cake. And don't be fooled, some of them are gunning for that line.
Unlike big-box retailers, it's vital for specialty retailers and independent businesses to move customers to and beyond that line. Unfortunately, many fail to get their customers anywhere near the line because they're not aiming for it.
As a regular reader of The Weekly Retail Experience, I like to think that most of you are far closer to that line than are your competitors. Some of you are able to go beyond that line with almost every customer.
Companies that are able to surpass the line on a regular basis have the following in common:
1. They've trained their people to focus on exceeding every individual customer's experience. While they may not have specifically labeled it a "line," the line is the point where expectations have been exceeded.
2. They have specific tools and activities that, when combined, move the customer beyond the line. Those tools and activities include, but are not limited to, offering the customer a beverage or a snack, using their name, welcoming them on a regular basis, proactively offering to carry a purchase to the car, suggesting additional products that enhance the purchase, engaging their children, a follow-up phone call and a host of other things.
The key is the combination. Because every customer has different expectations and perspective, only doing one or two of them doesn't move most customers to the line.
3. Last but not least, everyone is focused on the Exceptional Experience Line. This includes the owner or executive team, the management team, the floor staff, and the back-office support team. Everyone!
So let me ask, are you and your entire team driven to move the customer beyond their Exceptional Experience Line?
August 19, 2009
The Slow
Drift From Great to Good
About a year ago I begin to tire of having to grind the beans in the morning, so I started to grind them before I went to bed at night. Everything I've read says the coffee begins to drop in quality soon after grinding the beans but I figured it was a small price to pay for convenience.
After a few months I decided that grinding the beans at night was becoming a grind. I decided to buy my coffee already ground. I did notice the difference in my morning coffee between my freshly ground beans and the already ground coffee I bought at Peet's or Starbucks but I figured it was a small price to pay for convenience.
Now that I was already buying pre-ground coffee I figured that I might from time to time skip the extra trip to the coffee store and buy coffee at the grocery store. Even thought there have been some great strides in the improvements in packaging technology, there is still a noticeable difference in ground coffee bought at a Peet's or Starbucks store and the same brands bought at the grocery store. But sometimes when I was in hurry I just grabbed some coffee at the grocery store. I figured it was a small price to pay for convenience.
One morning as I drank my "GREAT" cup of coffee I was reading an article in Cook's Illustrated about how to properly brew coffee. As I read the article I thought to myself over and over, "I used to do that."
I realized that my GREAT cup of coffee wasn't really that great any more. Over time I had slowly drifted away from the small but simple steps required to make a great cup of coffee. Because each change I made only reduced the quality by a small amount I didn't really notice how much less "great" my morning coffee had become. Of course it was all in the name of convenience.
I'm sure you know where I'm going with this.
The same thing can happen in our stores and in the experience we deliver. One or two of the little things you would once did to make your store a GREAT place to shop fall by the wayside. It might be to save time, payroll, or inconvenience. And it's such a small thing it won't make a big difference.
It happens often. A store offers to carry every purchase, no matter what the size, to a customer's car. Then over time they might only offer if the purchase is big and bulky. But now they only carry purchases to the customer's car when the customer asks.
Or maybe it's the practice of offering customers something to drink. The store goes from offering all customers a drink, to those customers they're working with on a sale, to only giving a beverage to the long-time customer who still asks for one.
Other areas that sometimes get lost in the name of convenience are gift wrapping, follow-up phone calls, thank you cards, and getting customer contact information.
The point is that just like the decline in quality of my morning coffee, these small changes slowly takes the experience away from what used to make it special. The cost of saving time, money, or just making things a little more convenient for us is a lot higher than we think.
Right after reading that article I went back to doing what it takes to brew a GREAT cup of coffee. The difference is amazing. Over the last year my morning coffee was good, but good isn't great. Sometimes good is okay, but we shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking that good is GREAT.
So let me ask you as you enjoy your morning coffee, is there anything in your business you've let slip to good even though it's GREAT that is the key to your success? If there is, what steps will you take today to turn it around.
August 12, 2009
The More You
Know The More You Sell
Here were my transportation options:
1. Airplane. Definitely the fastest option, although that could depend on the traffic from LaGuardia to my hotel. The total cost with taxi and parking at Boston's Logan airport is around $350.
2. Train. It's by far the easiest and most comfortable way to travel but it does take longer than flying. I could work while traveling and even use the Wi-Fi. Total cost would be in the vicinity of $250.
3. Car. A little faster than the train but more effort on my part. Gas and parking total about $150.
4. Bus. By far the most cost effective but also likely to be the most challenging. The bus lines all had varying price and some would require a cab once I got in to NYC. We'll average it out and say that the total cost for the bus trip is $50.
What would you have chosen, and why?
But what if you were going to book my travel? Which option would you have chosen for me?
Don't worry, I'm not turning the Weekly into a travel newsletter; here's where I bring it back to retail.
If this had taken place in a store some retail employees would have:
* Assumed I was inquiring about a trip, not that I was there to book it.
* Offered me the bus first because it was the least expensive. One of the biggest impediments to success is believing that all anybody is looking for is the least expensive product. People want the most value. In my particular case value is time, effort, convenience, and cost.
* Started telling me about whichever transportation option I was looking at that moment. If each transportation mode had a section in the store and I was standing in front of "driving" I would have heard about the different places to park.
* Told me what they would do. Maybe the salesperson doesn't like to fly so they would never suggest that option. Someone else's dislike of flying has nothing to do with me, but it's amazing how many salespeople think it does.
Helping me book this trip is no different than helping me buy something in your store. The more you know me and what's important to me, the better you can match me up with the right product you sell that is the best value for me. The more you do this the more likely it is that you'll make a sale.
Telling me my options would not have helped at all. I already knew my options. What I would have being looking for is an expert to tell me what was the best way for ME to go from Boston to New York.
You would need more information, don't you? I'm going to guess that you would want to know things like the following:
* Are you in a hurry?
* Is there any particular time you need to arrive
in New York City?
* Will you need to be back in Boston by a certain
time?
* What is your preferred mode of transportation?
* Are you traveling alone?
So let me ask, do you take the time to get to know your customer before showing them products, or do you just tell them about what you have to offer?
By the way, I was going to take the train but at the last minute I decided to bring my family so we drove. That was the fifth question. That's why it is important to know as much as you can before recommending a solution.
August 5, 2009
The
Opportunity When You Can't Say Yes
Here are two good examples. I'm in New York City last week speaking and moderating a panel at a Jewelry Show. Since I was driving to the city I brought my family with me for a mini-vacation. I'm staying at a new Sheraton Four Points, which has small but well-appointed rooms.
Sunday night I called down to the housekeeping to request an extra bedspread and sheets for one of the girls to use to sleep on the floor. Three times we called but got no answer. We called the front desk and still got no answer.
So I took the elevator down 25 floors to find two people working the front desk. When one of them finally looked up I told her that I needed an extra blanket or quilt for my daughter to use as padding to sleep on the floor. I barely got the words out of my mouth when she snapped, "We don't have extra bedspreads or rollaways." And then silence. She didn't offer a single alternative.
Not surprisingly, I was getting annoyed by now and snapped, "Great. At least in the future please answer your phone so I don't have to come all the way down here to not be helped." She frowned and said, "Well, I can get you some blankets and sheets if you want." At least Ms. Happy was now trying to help me. I took her up on her offer and 10-minutes later housekeeping showed up with a couple of sheets. Still not great but better than nothing.
Think about how this different this experience could have been if she had responded to my first request without saying "no." She could have said, "I'd be happy to help make the floor a little more comfortable for your daughter. While I don't have any extra bedspreads, I bet we can find something else. Can I send someone up to your room in the next 10 minutes?" With a response like that I could have cared totally forgiven my unanswered calls.
Simply telling me what she could do instead of what she couldn't do would have easily moved me from frustrated to delighted.
Here's a great example of not saying "no" and WOWing a customer. Monday morning I went to the local Starbucks to order coffee. The smiling barista told me, "We've had a problem with our coffee maker but I'll be happy to make you an Americano instead." Then she added, "And I'll even make it on the house."
Not only did she not say "no," she WOW'd me by giving it to me at no charge. And drinking the Americano reminded me how much better it is than a bold, and chances are I'll start drinking the higher priced Americano for now on.
This employee took a situation where she could have said no and sent me on my way, but instead she WOW'd me in a way that will result in my spending more money with her company. That is how you maximize the opportunity in not saying "yes."
So let me ask, do you and your team maximize the opportunity when you can't say yes?
July 29, 2009
An
Impeccable Customer Experience
At first I wondered why she just didn't tell them to go wash their hands since she knew they hadn't, but I came to realize that she wasn't asking them to go through a motion, she was teaching them to maintain a standard. Just as important, she wanted them to create a habit of washing their hands instead of having to be told.
Over time, the girls learned that impeccably clean meant never coming to the table or to expect to help in the kitchen without first washing their hands with soap and warm water. (Disclaimer: It doesn't always happen but for learning purpose let's pretend it does. I digress.)
The point is that the girls learned why it's important to have clean hands and inherently understood the expected outcome.
Successful companies use this same approach to deliver a better customer experience than their competitors. Employees who understand why an extraordinary and memorable customer experience is important to the company and their own success are more likely to deliver it than those who don't understand that concept.
Customer-centric companies also have a standard for the customer's experience. Like my wife's expectation for children to sit down to dinner with impeccably clean hands, there is a stated desired outcome that all employees strive to deliver. It's a key part of the company culture and is reinforced on a daily basis.
Of course everyone needs to be trained how to do their job, but when employees know the why and the expected outcome the how becomes much more important.
Take something as simple as a customer walking in the door. Most retail employees have been taught to "greet" the customer within x amount of time but they don't understand why those first thirty to sixty seconds are so important in setting the tone of the customer's overall experience. They also don't engage the customer in a meaningful way since they've never been taught how the customer should feel as a result of this initial engagement. So they say things like, "How's it going?" but never stop to hear a reply because as far as they know their how is over and done.
Companies will always be more successful when the
how is only taught after the why and
the expected outcome.
So let me ask, metaphorically of course, does your
staff have impeccably clean hands or do you have to
tell them to go wash? The difference is in the
experience.
July 22, 2009
10 and 51 -
The Birthday Edition
Here are 51 things I've learned in my life. Some you may have read last year, but like life this list is constantly changing and evolving.
1. It's easier to give advice than take it. Usually the advice I give is also meant for me.
2. Focus is extremely underrated. The most successful people I know have the ability to focus and get things done.
3. Jobs, places, and things come and go. It's the people we meet that make life special.
4. It's my actions that define who I am, not who I say I am.
5. Learning to start my day over was one of the best lessons I ever learned.
6. Humility is the greatest trait I can have as a leader, partner, husband, friend, and father.
7. Having humility is easier said than done.
8. The more I try to learn from successful people the better my chance at success.
9. The only person who can decide if I'm having a good day or bad day is me.
10. The more teachable I am the more I know. The more I know the more I can help others. The more I can help others the better my life, and that's why I try to remain teachable.
11. Work hard when it's time to work, but go home when you're supposed to go home.
12. When you're a manager people have to do what you want them to do. When you're a leader people want to do what you'd like them to do.
13. Everyone makes mistakes but not everyone learns from them. The difference has a huge impact on your ability to have a happy and productive life.
14. The only person or thing that can hold me back is me.
15. We all need mentors in life. Do you have one? More important, are you one?
16. Your children won't remember much of what you said while they were growing up but they'll always remember how you said it. The same advice applies to people who work for you.
17. To be a good parent and a good manager I need to set high but appropriate expectations. It's even more important to hold the children or the employees accountable for meeting those expectations.
18. Most people are inherently good. I can't let the few who aren't impact how I feel and act towards the others.
19. Take care of your employees and they'll take care of the customers. Take care of the customers and they'll take care of the business.
20. Neither your employees nor your customers will know you care unless you tell them. Tell them. Often.
21. I can't let the news and what happens in other people's lives affect how I feel about mine.
22. I believe faith and spirituality is extremely personal. I'm always offended when someone tells me what or how I should believe.
23. Always do what's best for the customer - unless you no longer want that customer.
24. The best thing I can do when I am wrong is to promptly admit it.
25. Every time I'm told by a retailer "we have no competition" I always think, "You're delusional."
26. Criticizing someone you don't know and who has no impact on your life is a total waste of energy. Criticizing someone you know is a waste of good karma.
27. Innovation is important to most retailers' success only if it is built on the bedrock of a commitment to customers and employees.
28. I make an effort to learn something every single day. I know that combining the experience of the past with the knowledge gained today creates success.
29. Failing is important because if I never fail I'm not trying enough new things.
30. I can't afford to have resentments. I hope those who have one with me share it instead of holding it.
31. Don't miss the moment. As my wife says, keep your head where your feet are.
32. Be grateful. Demonstrate it with both words and actions.
33. Specialty retail is more about relationships than selling products. I wish more retailers understood that.
34. Accept or change anything in your life that causes you problems or concerns but don't waste energy complaining about it.
35. The greatest gift you can give someone you don't know is a smile.
36. Ask for help when you need it. Offer to help when you don't.
37 Surround yourself with positive people who love life and love you. Don't listen to people who don't share the same values you do.
38. Never regret the past. Use it today to create a better tomorrow.
39. Compliments are wonderful things to give and receive. I need to remind myself to give more than I do.
40. Prioritize your day and always put the customer first.
41. Whatever your title, if you're in a leadership role you always go first.
42. Passion trumps knowledge and skill. Never try to cover a lack of knowledge and skill with passion.
43. Never shy away from a difficult conversation with an employee, friend, or family member. You'll both be the better for it.
44. Be happy for others. Don't compare their lives to yours, identify with what they do or have done so you can do the same.
45. Always say, "thank you," "please," and "you're welcome." Expect the same from your staff and your children.
46. Sometimes bad things happen. It's one thing to be a victim; it's another to stay one.
47. No matter the cause, if I'm bent out of shape about something the problem is always within me. If I don't believe that I'm giving others the power to control me.
48. If you don't take the time to enjoy the rewards of your hard work, why work hard?
49. I wish you could buy patience online. Since you can't, you have to just find it within yourself.
50. Thinking about doing something is not doing something. As they say, Just Do It!
51. Love and value your friends and family. You never know when your time together will end. I miss those I've lost.
52. Always go above and beyond in everything you do, especially when it is for others.
Thank you for reading this and sharing my birthday! May every day of your life be a learning day.
July 15, 2009
The Daily
Take Five Meeting
The Take Five meeting is a tool I began using in my days as a Sharper Image store manager. Back then I called it the morning huddle. For a while I called it the Five to Thrive meetings, but finally changed it to Take Five to align with what many of our readers are calling it.
Take Five is a DAILY meeting between the owner or manager and his/her team before the employee begins the day. It can be done as a group or one-on-one. I recommend you do at least one one-on-one Take Five every week with each staff member.
To use the Take Five to its fullest you need to use it with every employee at every shift. Not just when the doors are opened, not just when the team is together, but every single time someone starts his/her workday. Put the responsibility on the employee to find the manager/owner for the Take Five Meeting before they start their shift.
In your Take Five meeting you want to review all of the crucial information the team needs to have a successful day, and you want to make sure they are focused, motivated, and ready to go. The Take Five is not just for in-store use; it's also useful for internal support and field management teams.
In the store, you can use the Daily Take Five Meeting to review things like sales results, daily goals, and other key information the staff will need. That can include everything from the lunch and dinner schedule, specials, contests, and floor coverage.
It is vital that every meeting also include giving feedback, praise, and coaching. Too many meetings are just a download of information when they should be about improving everyone present. Take the time to share some observations of what you've seen employees do well and what they can still do better.
Challenge people on what area they're going to improve in that day. I've always said if an employee can't answer what they're trying to improve in then you're not truly developing your staff. If you have the time do some quick roleplaying. Okay so it becomes a Take Ten or a Take Fifteen Meeting, but that's better than just standing around after they start their shift. It also becomes some of the most productive time in the day that pays the highest return on investment.
Always end the meeting on a positive note. I remember attending one meeting that ended on such a down note I wondered why the staff even bothered to open the door for the day. The team needs to feel energized and ready to succeed at the end of the Take Five.
We're in the people business. That's where our opportunities are, that where our focus needs to be, and to maximize those opportunities and that focus we need to start every day with a Take Five.
July 8, 2009
Your
Customers
They don't compare you to other people who sell what you do. They compare you to every store they shop in.
They appreciate being treated like they're special, even if don't show it.
Although they might decline that drink or cookie you offer, they appreciate and remember the gesture.
They will tell other people about your store if you give them a reason. What they tell people is up to you.
They dislike being hounded, but they also hate being ignored. Yes, that's confusing and yes, that's why selling in retail is not easy.
Most of them worry more about overpaying than about getting the lowest price.
They respect what you know about the products you sell. They like being respected in return.
They watch how you handle your products to see how much they’re really worth.
Even if they don't come to an event they remember that you do things for your customers.
They're happy to hear from you on a regular basis, but they don't want you trying to constantly sell them something, either.
They appreciate knowing that your store is a good place to work as well as to shop.
They like buying from local businesses, but most aren't willing to pay too much extra to do so.
Even though they appreciate your employees, they like
getting that little bit of extra attention from the owner.
They appreciate being appreciated.
Most will be loyal if you'll be loyal to them. This means that sometimes you have to do what's more in the customer's best interest than yours.
You have many customers but each one is unique. The more uniquely you treat them the more likely they are to remain your customer.
A few of them are a pain but that should never change how you think of them. Remember, each one is unique.
They appreciate the little things you do to deliver a great experience. A lot of them remember to tell you that: some of them forget.
So allow me to say it for all of your customers, "Thank you."
July 1, 2009
The Most
Important Thing You Do
I heard a lot of different answers including:
"Drive sales."
"Develop my staff."
"Protect the store assets."
"Drive traffic into the store."
"Make my customers happy."
"Deliver a great shopping experience."
What do you think is the most important thing you do?
I'll tell you what I think it is. I think the most important thing you can do as a manager or owner is to create the best place to work. That's right, I think delivering an employee experience that has people loving their job is the most important thing you do.
Why do I say that? Because as a specialty retailer what makes your store truly special is your people. You might have a beautiful store with fabulous products but chances are whatever you sell I can find somewhere else. It's the people in your store that make the difference. It's the people that keep your customers coming back time and again. The reverse is true, too. At some stores the reason the customers don't come back is because of the people.
Making your store a great place to work drives all those other important things listed above. Happy employees create more sales. Happy employees want to grow and develop and make a greater contribution to the store. Happy employees are less likely to steal. Happy employees create loyal customer advocates who keep coming back and tell others about your store. And last but not least, happy employees deliver great shopping experiences that result in happy customers. Everyone's happy!
So why don't more owners and managers make this the most important thing they do? For some it's because they don't know they should or don't know how. For many it's because creating a great place to work takes hard work. As today's quote says, "The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work." Then again, in both your store and the dictionary, happy and employees come before profits.
So let me ask, is your store a great place to work?
June 17, 2009
Skepticism
and Lost Opportunities
Customers are naturally skeptical. It's a defensive mechanism to keep from being taken advantage of or making a mistake. It can also keep customers from getting a great deal and doing business with a very good company.
Whether we know it or not, we lose sales to skepticism every day. One of the biggest challenges for independent retailers is overcoming customer's skepticism of the independent's prices. Most believe that an independent's prices are much higher than the big box or national chains even though that is not always the case.
Skepticism also impacts our ability to make sales.
When products are marked down customers often think there must
be something wrong with them, or at the very least are
something nobody else wanted - so why should they? Customers
are also skeptical of brands they've never heard of. That's
always one of the biggest challenges when you bring on a new
line in a segment where brand recognition is a key part of the
decision-making process. You wouldn't think twice about buying
a Canon camera but you can't say the same for a Danon camera.
The key to overcoming a skeptical customer is to proactively
give them the necessary information to keep them from being
skeptical. If an independent retailer prominently
posts a sign telling shoppers about the price guarantee, the
customer knows that this store is competitively priced, which
may or may not be the case.
The same approach works with markdowns. If you're giving the customer a great deal you need to tell them why. A "50% Off Our Top Sellers" or "50% Off Spring Clearance" will always be more effective than just a "50%" sign by itself. When working one-on-one with a customer you should also explain why something is "such a good deal."
You might even be skeptical of this post, which of course
proves my point. From time to time everyone is
skeptical, and you'll sell more products and capture more
customers if you're aware of that and take steps to
proactively overcome it.
Take Five Exercise*
Brainstorm three reasons a customer could be skeptical while
shopping in your store. Determine ways you can proactively
overcome it.
* The Take Five Exercise is a new feature to stimulate conversation in your morning Take Five or store meetings and make it easier to put the Retail Contrarian into action.
June 10, 2009
Assorted Retail Musings: Success, Time, and Credibility
There are times where the forces around us are greater than before, and as a result we need to double and triple our efforts to keep driving towards success. If we're not pushing harder than the forces around us then we're moving away from success. The greatest danger is when we're not even aware of it.
Let me ask, are you moving towards or away from success?
I often hear owners and managers say they don't have time to do something they know they should do. I suggest that if they really wanted to do it, they would find the time. When we say we don't have time to do something we need to ask ourselves two questions:
1. Is it important that I do it or can someone else take care of it?
2. What do I need to stop doing so I can do this something else?
We all have things we like to do but sometimes those aren't
the things we should be doing. As owners and managers
we need to be focused on high-impact, high-payoff activities and
delegate the low-impact and low-payoff activities to members of
the staff.
Let me ask, are you spending your time wisely?
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What's the fastest way to lose credibility with your customer? Believe it or not, it's speaking poorly of other companies and people. Most customers are quite forgiving if you don't know something, but they don't like rude or unsportsmanlike behavior.
Here are five ways to lose credibility with your customers:
1. Speak poorly of your competitors. I was visiting a retailer once and heard everyone on the staff constantly put down one of their competitors. When I brought it up to the owner she said that they were just passing along what their customers told them. I reminded her that while that might be true, it sounded like sour grapes. Now if someone asks about their competitors they just smile and say, "We're happy to say that our customers tell us how much more like they shopping here."
2. Speak poorly of a customer. While shopping recently I heard a store employee get off the phone and then go on and on to a colleague about the "stupid" customer. As a customer, you can't help but wonder what they say about you after you leave the store. The only stupid person here is the employee who lost all credibility.
3. Speak poorly of another employee. This sometimes happens when a customer has a problem and one employee blames another for making a mistake. You'll hear things like, "He's new and doesn't really know much." While I'm sure the employee is saying that without malice, it doesn't sound good. Instead he might have said, "Since he was new I'm sure he was mistaken."
4. Speak poorly of a product in the store. I
think this is a cardinal sin that unfortunately is committed
more than we'd like to admit. Employees don't think about the
message they're sending about their company when they make
comments like, "You don't want to buy that" or "I refuse to sell
that." The customer is left to wonder why the company continues
to sell the product if it's such a dog.
5. Speak poorly of a manufacturer or distributor you do business
with. The customer can't help but wonder why you're
carrying their products if they are as bad as the employee is
making them out to be.
Remember the old adage, if you have nothing good to say then say
nothing at all. Just as important, if you have something good to
say then be sure and say it!
June 3, 2009
The Art of
Greeting: Guest, Friend, and Customer
There are also store staffs that are clearly following a company policy of greeting every customer are as about as friendly as a dark alley at 3:00 a.m. There's a quick acknowledgement and the obvious hope that you don't want to talk to them.
What is the right way to greet and engage customers? Some people say you should do it within the first ten seconds a customer is in the store, others say within a minute, and clearly many retailers seem to think you should let the customer be the one to engage the employees.
First and foremost, it is extremely important to welcome each customer as he/she enters your store. Not greet, welcome. When you welcome customers you acknowledge that they are your priority; it is the first step in creating a great experience that will lead to a sale.
You want to engage your customer and treat them like an old (or new) friend. Inevitably, when I bring this up in a seminar or training I hear that "customers want to be left alone" or "they say they're just looking no matter what I say or do."
That's true. Sometimes customers want to be left alone and sometimes they say they're just looking, but most of the time they do that because the salespeople aren't adding value to their experience. They're following a script, or doing something because they've been told to and not because they want to. Customers know when a salesperson isn't being authentic.
Don't try to "help" your customer. Don't get in his face and ask if he has any questions. Treat each and every customer like they're special. Show them you're happy to see them in your store and that you're going to exceed their expectations. Be an ambassador for your store.
If you welcome your customers and engage them like an old or new friend, more than 85% will respond in a positive manner (give or take a few percentage points based on where you live). So what if 15% of the people blow you off? Don't look at it like 15% of your customers didn't let you get to know them, look at it like 85% of the people who came into your store are now your friends! And friends help friends make purchases.
Once you have welcomed your customer, you can learn more about him/her and how the products you sell can add value to his/her life. The best customer experiences are when customers walk out with purchase they're happy they made.
That's why every single person who comes in your door should be welcomed like a guest, treated like a friend, and shown products so they become YOUR customer. That's what makes a specialty store like yours special. Forget customer service, it's all about the experience!
May 27, 2009
So Let Me
Ask