Remember the Little Things - Creating Positive Customer Experiences
By Mickki Langston - Posted on August 11th, 2008
I recently visited a retail store that features women's clothing and household accessories for the first time. I walked into the store and ... (sigh) it was beautiful. There were hundreds of items that I wanted to take home with me, and it wasn't simply because they were hanging on a rack. The store takes the time to arrange their goods as if each thing was a work of art. As I was strolling through the store picking up my favorite pieces, a sales person offered to "set up" a dressing room for me. Usually that means that your clothes are taken away, possibly never to be found again. But when I finally made it to the dressing room, I was amazed. The dressing room was the most beautiful part of the store.
Yes, the dressing room. It was spacious and filled with gentle (not harsh) light. There was a huge comfy couch in the middle, with coffee tables, lamps and reading materials, perfect for the friend or spouse who's waiting for you to try on the pile of clothing you've picked out. I walked into the room they'd set up, and each item was hung artfully around the dressing room, which featured not one or two hooks, but ten or more, instead of being tossed into the room. There was a small stool to sit or put my clothing on, and the space was private and spacious. I felt like a queen with a beautiful wardrobe, and I spent quite a bit of cash to carry that experience with me.
You don't have to have tons of space to create a memorable experience with your customers. Take a look at your store or office with new eyes. What does it feel like to walk in? What do people notice when they enter your place of business?
If you're a retail store, what is your dressing room like? Is it private, or do the curtains or doors leave gaps? (yikes!) Is the floor cold and dirty? Is it dark and a little scary? (move that dirty mop!) Are there plenty of hooks to hang things on? For a very small price, you could add an abundance of handy hooks to make it easier for your customers. And when your customers have their hands full of items, why not place them with care in a dressing room just for them?
These and other small touches (that cost little or nothing) will start you on the track of creating a consistent, positive experience for your customers.
Yes, the dressing room. It was spacious and filled with gentle (not harsh) light. There was a huge comfy couch in the middle, with coffee tables, lamps and reading materials, perfect for the friend or spouse who's waiting for you to try on the pile of clothing you've picked out. I walked into the room they'd set up, and each item was hung artfully around the dressing room, which featured not one or two hooks, but ten or more, instead of being tossed into the room. There was a small stool to sit or put my clothing on, and the space was private and spacious. I felt like a queen with a beautiful wardrobe, and I spent quite a bit of cash to carry that experience with me.
You don't have to have tons of space to create a memorable experience with your customers. Take a look at your store or office with new eyes. What does it feel like to walk in? What do people notice when they enter your place of business?
If you're a retail store, what is your dressing room like? Is it private, or do the curtains or doors leave gaps? (yikes!) Is the floor cold and dirty? Is it dark and a little scary? (move that dirty mop!) Are there plenty of hooks to hang things on? For a very small price, you could add an abundance of handy hooks to make it easier for your customers. And when your customers have their hands full of items, why not place them with care in a dressing room just for them?
These and other small touches (that cost little or nothing) will start you on the track of creating a consistent, positive experience for your customers.
