So, it seems that the National Retail Federation got together for its sixth annual “Big Think” to “examine the industry through the prism of the economic crisis.” There was “remarkable consensus around some major theme.”
Customer experience. There is growing acknowledgment that retailers need to be relevant, authentic and transparent. They need to focus on improving the customer experience through a better-trained workforce, greater efficiencies or better customer communication. For example, more grocers are investing in self-checkout; other retailers are spending money on social networking. Fashion designer Tory Burch has created a new social community, “Talk with Tory,” that allows her customers to connect directly with her and with each other.
Really? “A growing acknowledgment?” Customer experience is important? You think?
Here at Team HALO, we’ve only been teaching the critical importance of the “experience economy” for ten years – and dabbling in customer relationships with ideas like “better customer communication” and gimmicks like “Talk with Tory” are basically a slap in the face of the consumer – in my opinion. Sounds like more “brilliant” ideas from the corner office at a traditional advertising agency that still doesn’t get it.
Last time I checked an experience affected five senses and required a consistent replication of a CERTAIN experience over and over again. That means that a business would have to know what experience or feeling they were selling, then bring that “experience” to life in concrete, defined ways, and market it through real relationships in order to persuade the customer.
Small businesses of the world – it looks like the big boxes aren’t even close to being a real threat in this economy. You have a tremendous opportunity. Here’s your homework for the day – define the business that you are in by the experience that you are selling:
- Take time today to stop and ask customers how they “feel” about your business. Take notes. Listen to your customers and prospects. Then, write down what you want them to say.
- How do you want them to feel? Define it in a single word or phrase.
- Then, make a list of concrete ways that you can help create that feeling across all of the senses.
For me, today, I want to make you feel successful. How can I make you taste success, hear success, see success, touch success, smell success? It’s a big job, but it’s one step further away from mediocrity and towards business success for me – and for you.
