2010-03-09, 09:42
Did you catch the Oscars Sunday night? On what was a particularly well crafted evening of entertainment with a good mix of humor, tears and celebration came the truck driver persona of Elinor Burkett a la Kanye West at last year’s MTV awards.
It wasn’t her moment but she shoved her way onto the stage, interrupting and speaking over director Roger Williams while accepting his award for directing "Music by Prudence." Rambling and incoherent she was determined to make herself known. She did, in a bad way.
Do you have an Elinor on your sales team? You know, the one who screams, “That was my sale!” The one who makes everyone miserable. The one who has to say to the salesperson while the customer is at the register, “I greeted them,” or “Oh you came back after you talked to your husband.” They have to put the other person in their place like Ms. Burkett attempted to do to Mr. Williams.
The problem is for Ms. Burkett, the whole world was watching. The problem for you is your whole store is watching. It is a big turnoff to any customer in earshot but especially the customer enduring the battle. Nothing screams, “WE WORK ON COMMISSION!!” more than that behavior.
If you don’t have a commission system, bonus program or other incentive you never have to deal with this – too bad for you because no one is trying to be a superstar, make more money or move product. You probably are kidding yourself they are great at “customer service.”
If you have an “ups” systems, which I recommend where each person gets one “up” to greet a customer and then moves to the bottom of the order whether they sell that customer or not, create some rules:
- Once the customer walks out, you do not get credit for the sale.
- Close ‘em or lose ‘em – no business cards given to customers to “ask for me.”
- Never cut in on a sale unless the other person allows it privately first.
- Never mention whose sale it is or commissions in front of a customer or both of you lose credit.
Final thought: sometimes customers don’t want the original salesperson, they are giving your business a second chance so it is usually better to allow them to decide whether to speak to someone new or the original.
Set the ground rules ahead of time and you’ll reduce the chances of having an Elinor Burkett barrel their way into a sale, ruining your customers’ experience, and giving customers something bad to remember you by. Or worse, telling their friends on Facebook or posting a video on YouTube.
2010-03-08, 11:52
castle (ksl) n. A large fortified building or group of buildings with thick walls, usually dominating the surrounding country.
Haveyou ever found yourself walking through the mall or down a Main Street, see something in the store that looks interesting, look through the window, see the employees behind the counter with no one else in there and walk on? I have.
When a store is empty, it is much harder for that first person to walk in because they feel all eyes are on them. They are afraid of being:
- Attacked by an overly aggressive greeter
- Ignored and unable to find what they need
- Being judged
If you've hired to fill your schedule, instead of hired employees to sell your merch, your timid employees will stick behind the counter.
They might, might notice a customer walking in the door but more than likely not. Take a look at this shot from a paper goods store in Glendale, California with one girl standing to the left and the other with her arm out on the counter looking out while customers are in the store. Wow!
Oftentimes we hire people more comfortable behind the wall of the counter, that's why I refer to it as the castle. It is a safe place, fortified to withstand attack. It allows the weak to demand attention. You want service? Come to the castle and we may lower the bridge to give you the answers, otherwise you'll stand in the moat until we are ready for you.
Get your employees out from behind the counter and keep them active, especially if you have windows. Customers outside need to see people inside trying on clothes, matching prints, perusing books, comparing products so they will want to be part of the group. If you don't have any customers at that time, have employees act as they were customers. This holds true for almost any business.
If you've just opened a restaurant with an outdoor patio and no one is there at lunch -- put excess employees on the patio with food until it is busy.
If your auto repair bay is empty, have an employee put their car up on a lift so they will be available when someone comes in or people see you as busy when they drive by.
Still can’t get them from behind the counter? Here are a few tips to make it less comfortable:
- Remove any seats or stools
- Remove comfort pads or rugs off the concrete floor
- Remove one side so both sides are open and accessible
- Cut the counter in half so it is more of a desk
- Move the phone
That doesn’t work? Well, you can always hire better.
If you've trained them well, salespeople are never behind the counter waiting; telegraphing the world how bored they are. They are active, moving around all the time creating excitement, not barricaded behind the castle.
To learn more about growing your business, pre-order the Retail Doctor’s Guide to Growing Your Business (Wiley & Sons) May 2010
2010-03-03, 14:58
In my new book, the Retail Doctor’s Guide to Growing Your Business: How to Diagnose, Treat and Cure, (Wiley & Sons) I talk about the nine types of displays, what makes them different and how to use them. I’ll get around to sharing some of those tips on this blog and my Facebook Fan page.
One of the occupational hazards of being the Retail Doctor is documenting what is good and bad to share with my audiences. Today I’ll show what the world of many independents has become.
What is it about signs? They should be short, informational, welcoming and clear.
Instead we find:
Ifyou look around you’ll see there is some creativity in retail, but it usually isn’t in the signage department. You want to stand out? Don’t give the wrong person access to your printer or a marker.
How to do proper signage? See my post later in the week.
