Retail Contrarian

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?

The Art of Lineology

If you have one register all associates use or multiple registers with dedicated cashiers, how well an employee facilitates the checkout process has a huge impact on the customer's experience.

I know that I personally have had more than one good store experience ruined in those last ten feet.  I've also had many a mediocre store experiences turned around by a terrific cashier.

Lineology, the art of delivering a great checkout experience, uses most of the same skills and behaviors required to work with customers on the floor.  It might be even more challenging because practitioners need to multi-task while delivering a great experience.

Here are some tips for mastering Lineology:

1. Always give your customer your undivided attention.  Any conversations with co-workers and others should wait until you have completed ringing up a sale.  The checkout process should be fast and efficient but at the same time must never make the customer feel rushed.

2. Never interrupt another employee who is checking out a customer.  The number of managers who interrupt the cashier when he/she is working with a customer always dismays me.  Unless it's an emergency it can wait.

3. Always greet your customer in a friendly manner including a smile and eye contact. The eye contact is important because it establishes a stronger relationship in the short amount of time you're with the customer.

4. Avoid overused questions like "How are you today?"  That is the "How may I help you" of checkouts.  Try to keep it more personal or about what the customer is purchasing. "Are you enjoying this beautiful day?" or "Isn't that the cutest blouse?"

5. Try to acknowledge the next customer in line while ringing up your current one.  That simple acknowledgment will demonstrate to the customer that they are your priority and it will be keep them from getting annoyed by you talking with another customer.

6. Really hear what the customer is saying.  A lot of customers indirectly voice pleasure or displeasure, and your ability to recognize and respond to what someone is saying without maybe quite saying can make a big difference to that customer's experience.

Example: A customer might say, "The store is so busy it's difficult to get a dressing room."  Many employees would either not respond at all or agree with the customer's statement.  The master of Lineology will respond by saying, "Is there something you would like to try on?  I can set these aside and get someone to assist you."

7. Know that some of your hardest tasks are vital to your store's success.  Every time you capture a customer's contact information you're creating future sales.  Take pride in your ability to capture that information.

The same goes for doing required add-ons.  If your owner or manager has asked you to suggest an additional product, do it to the best of your ability.  Remember that almost everyone will say "no," the "no" is not personal, and enjoy those moments when the customer says "yes."  By the way, I'm not a huge fan of those types of add-ons, but to each their own.

8.  At the end of each transaction look your customer in the eye and say "thank you."  That brief moment of demonstrating your gratitude will stay with the customer beyond their time in your store.  You may also, if appropriate, want to invite the customer back.

If you're a cashier, or you occasionally checkout a customer, never underestimate how important you are to the success of the store.  Thank you for being a Master of Lineology!

The Twenty-Four Hour WOW

American Idol judge Simon Cowell often comments that even though a contestant's performance was good, and sometimes even quite good, nobody will remember it in twenty-four hours.  It wasn't a wow.  This is exactly the difference between good service and an extraordinary experience.

I've recently spoken with any number of retailers who tell me how good their service is.  Even if that's the case (and sometimes it's not) most customers aren't going to remember it a day later.  It's not a twenty-four hour WOW.

Some people might say it's okay to have service that's only "good" as long as the customer makes a purchase.  And that's fine if you're in a transactional business, but most specialty stores need more than that.  Specialty retailers need to deliver something the customer remembers beyond the next day to drive them back into the store again.

Just as important is getting the customer to tell family and friends about the store. The experiences that WOW the customer and stay with them are exactly what customers tell people about when they're advocating for a business.

What makes an experience stay with the customer longer than one day?

First and foremost, something occurs that is different from what the customer will experience at any other store or business that day. That's why I believe offering the customer a drink and/or something to eat works.  It simply doesn't happen that often.

Think about it.  Does a person tell her friends, "They're the store that gives people space to shop?" (Something I've heard three times this week.) Or is someone more likely to say, "They're the nice store that offered us a drink and some cheese and crackers."  It's a great differentiator.

I don't buy the argument that "too many stores are doing it."  Very few are doing it, and many of those that say they do don't do it regularly.  Miss one customer and you miss a twenty-four-hour-plus WOW.  If you choose not to serve food and drinks I encourage you think of another differentiator that will allow your store to stand out from the rest of the pack.  It takes more than just good service.

Another way to make a long-term impression is do something personal for your customer.  It can be something as simple as helping them with their child or calling a competitor's store to see if they have something in stock.  I know some people don't do that.  I say be so positive about the experience you deliver that you're fine sending your customer to the competition for an item.

There's always a way to do something special and personal for a customer.  I can't tell you exactly what it is, but you'll know it when you see it.  The key is to be looking for the opportunity, and then act on it.

Here's today's challenge. As each customer leaves ask yourself, "Will that person remember this experience twenty-four hours from now?" If the answer is "no," attempt to create a twenty-four hour wow with the next customer.

If the answer is yes, chances are you just created one or more sales in your future, and I bet that customer might also be walking out with a purchase, too.

Bite the Bullet and Move On

In early March when the rest of the East Coast was getting slammed with snow, we here in the Boston area were pretty "lucky" with only heavy rains and wind.  You have to live in the Northeast to appreciate near hurricane force winds and torrential downpours. (Note to Mother Nature: Please be kind and not make me the cause of a major snowstorm.)
 
As a result of the rain and melting snow my basement sump pump was running non-stop. Well, except for when it wasn't.  If you've never owned a sump pump, that's a very bad thing.
 
Since the sump pump was only a couple of years old I figured it just needed to be adjusted.  It would work for a while but then I would need to mess with it again.  This went on for a few weeks.
 
Then one day I went down to the basement and discovered that the pump had stopped altogether.  Luckily I caught it before there was too much flooding.  Twenty minutes and a hundred dollars later I had a brand new sump pump and the problem was solved.
 
I hate to admit how much time and energy I wasted on this pump.  Even worse, I hadn't thought through the real cost of this pump failing.  I think I was more focused on the fact that it was only two years old and should not have failed.
 
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and move on.
 
Minutes after replacing the pump an owner in my mentor program called to discuss a problem employee. (You can see where this is going, can't you?) This is not the first time we have discussed this employee.  The owner really wants the person to succeed but she's spending way too much time and energy on this person.
 
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and move on.
 
This advice doesn't apply only to people.  I know retailers who hang on to a product line, determined to make it work, when what they really need to do is just dump it.  What's the true cost of tying up cash that could be used for products that sell?
 
The same goes for an underperforming location you keep trying and trying to turn around. What if you could channel that time and energy into growing your profitable stores?
 
What about that "good" customer who no matter what you do returns half his purchases and sucks the life out of the staff?
 
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and move on.
 
This also applies to what you're not doing, or making the necessary changes to your business.  Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and invest in some additional help, or maybe a retail and customer experience expert who can also replace sump pumps. (Yes, shameless plug but I couldn't resist.)
 
So let me ask, are there any bullets you need to bite and then move on?  Today's a great day to start anew.

March Musings: Alissa, Assorted Tips, and Lady Gaga Reps

I have to tell you about a simply outstanding salesperson.  Her name is Alissa.  When she first approached me I told her I was all set and didn't need any help.  She flashed me a great smile and said she understood, but could she just tell me one thing.  I agreed and within a few minutes she had me hooked. I still wasn't ready to buy anything so I thanked her for her time.
 
A week later she called to follow up and two weeks after that she made the sale.  After the sale she called to personally thank me.  A few weeks later Alissa sent me a handwritten thank you card with a free gift inside.
 
She's amazing. Now you probably think she might work for Saks, Nordstrom, or Neiman Marcus.  Nope.  Alissa works for Comcast.  That's right, this amazing saleswoman sells cable.  Some people might say that she makes her living selling cable television door-to-door.  I say she makes her living delivering an extraordinary client experience.
 
Believe me, if Alissa can do those things going house-to-house selling cable television, we can do it in our stores.

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Fair or foul?  Time recently reported that 70% of all HR managers in the U.S. say they have rejected job applicants based on inappropriate materials in online social-networking profiles.  I say fair.  Heck, I don't care about the material as much as I wouldn't be interested in hiring someone who isn't smart enough to remove such material before job hunting.

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One of my Daily readers recently added to the bottom of her e-newsletter, "Please forward this email to a friend. Thank you!" One of her customers, who just happens to be my neighbor, forwarded it to my wife with the following comment:
 
To my friends who always have really nice things to say about my home - I know some of you already know about Derby Farms in Arlington - but if you don't - it is one of my FAVORITE local spots for fun home stuff and gifts.
 
The woman who owns it is wonderful, her name is Barbara Popolow and she is such a smart business owner. At the bottom of the below e-mail they asked to forward the e-mail, so I am.
 
How's that for advocacy? Ask and you shall receive.  (Learn more about Barbara's store at www.derby-farm-flowers.com.)
 

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Here's a great tip from The Wall Street Journal.  Don't just do exit interviews but also conduct "stay" interviews.  Find out why long time employees are staying with you.
 
They recommend you ask questions such as:
* Why did you come to work here?
* Why have you stayed?
* What would make you leave?  (I like that question a lot.)
* What are your nonnegotiable issues?
* What about your managers? What would you change or improve?
 
Then use that information to strengthen your employee retention strategies.

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Apropos of Nothing
 
I've put together a new program for sales reps titled Rock Star Sales Reps: How the Best Outperform the Rest.  In the write-up I use a Mick Fleetwood quote about commitment and passion to compare rock stars and sales reps.
 
After sending the proposal to a potential client I heard back that the proposed audience will probably be too young to know who Fleetwood Mac is.  Alrighty then.  Guess I have to figure out how to work Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" into the presentation. 
 
Have a Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-ah roma-ro-ma-ma kind of day!
 
- Doug Fleener and Brian Sullivan