Let's get Physical

by Harry Hoover

Published on this site: August 30th, 2006 - See more articles from this month

A lot of companies have gotten it right in the digital realm, only to drop the ball once you meet them on the physical plane. People show up to shop and retailers don't always have a good grasp of what to do with them.

You walk into a store and human assistance is in short supply. And, you find, the store layout doesn't make sense to you. Probably designed by some engineer who has no idea about how the customer experience works.

Wine stores are a great example. Now, I like wine and read a lot about it. So, I have a grasp of the basics: varietals, countries from which they hail, etc.

But the average wine shopper is lost. Grapedistrict has come to the rescue with its new coding system.

They have ridded themselves of oak shelving and wine segregation by color or country. A color coded system based upon flavor quickly tells the consumer what he or she needs to know.

Apple is another brand that gets it from a retail perspective. They understand the need for retail experiences.

Apple employees are actually - "gasp!" - part of the customer experience. They carry business cards, instead of sporting name tags, and they are equipped with all the latest Apple gadgetry. Living theApple life.

In an unusual move, Apple places their products into human context. Instead of herding all the printers together into a printer corral,you'll find the photo printers with digital cameras and Apple's iPhoto software.

Every type of retail business - not just Apple - has a similar opportunity to change the dynamic and capture more business. Ask theconsumer and you'll find out what yours is.

Harry Hoover - is managing principal of Hoover ink PR -
http://www.hoover-ink.com. He has 30 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Bank of Commerce, Brent Dees Financial Planning, Focus Four, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, Velux, and Verbatim.