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Posts Tagged ‘business’

Super Size or Dollar Menu

May 3, 2011

Consider how this might apply to your business.

“Super-size it!” gets me extra (necessary?) stuff for just a fraction more money. How many times have you nodded your head when asked “Would like a large for a quarter more?” or “Would you like to super-size that for $.59?” A small collection of inconsequential pennies for MORE! I win! Right?

The Dollar Menu brings the seemingly out of reach within reach. Smaller portions, sure. But did you really need 64 ounces of soda and xx-large fries to begin witht? These thrifty value options strip away the excess and deliver just enough – at a comfortable price.

Both of these work on the idea of perceived value. One’s perceived as “a deal” and the other “a steal.”

Some might argue Apple did the same thing with the iPad. It’s not a computer. But it’s more than a netbook. They took away something unnecessary (the keyboard, large storage space) and upped the cool factor by expanding their popular touch screen platform. This sort of convergence and shifting of priorities addressed consumer’s desire to access the internet and email on something more than their smart phone but less than a full blown laptop. The price falls in between the two original devices.

So – what product or service offerings (and their prices) can you shift to better serve the needs of your customers? What can be mixed and matched, or trimmed, or enhanced?

A perceived value change in your menu may keep your customers coming back again and again.

Tags:business
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Do you prepare?

April 19, 2011

“Chance favors the prepared mind.” ~ Louis Pasteur

Michelle Corley : KJA Designer & Thinker

I have a friend who’s a firefighter…a job whose very nature requires the ability to properly react to a crisis situation. My job hardly equals it in danger and intensity. Let’s face it, a client may completely shred the work I do – but nothing goes tragically haywire because of it. That said – for both jobs, preparation results in success or failure. I dare say the same holds true for your line of work.

As a fire fighter – training fills the time between calls. Think physical fitness, rescue techniques and a whole slew of things that remind me why I’ve only recently learned to use “fire” and “career” in the same sentence. They’re exposed to various scenarios and situations, tested in different ways to build intuitive reactions. Because of this preparation, they grow more certain of their skills, confident in their abilities and able to remain calm in chaos.

Can you think of a better way to use “down” time? What know-how could you be nurturing? Surely there’s a skill set that’s grown rusty or worse, lounges around untapped. Consider “down” time as an opportunity to build momentum. Plan your next step. Be better.

Yes, idle time is good – resting and recharging can’t be overrated. But in a few tics of the clock, idle can cool to complacent, and the tepid devil of complacency leads you easily to lazy. Once you’ve nestled into lazy – game over. Your sluggish, cob-webby reactions stand little chance in the heat of a crisis.

Tags:business, creativity, management
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Service matters

December 15, 2010

Michelle Corley : KJA Designer & Thinker

What’s your deal-breaker?
A. Higher prices
B. Second-rate products
C. Downright cruddy service

No question, those fall in the “depends on the person” category. You might kick them back and forth, debate and postulate then choose “D. None of the above.”

While you do that, I’m jumping around with pom-poms and saddle oxfords cheering for C. Allow me to defend my rah-rahing.

Consider Target: hugely popular big-box store that doesn’t win the price war. Its focus on designer niches (everything from fashion labels to kitchen gadgets to indoor & outdoor accessories and furnishings) generates a “nicer than Wally World” feeling for customers. Shifting to better designed and higher quality products separated them from the competition AND improved their sales… despite missing the rock bottom price point.

So I count them as proof we don’t settle for cheap stuff all the time.

But most of the time, we like being treated with a modicum of respect. Ever had abysmal service prompt a frustration-filled “I’ll never go back!”?

This past weekend, I did my part to stimulate the local economy. Yes, I was a mall rat for a Saturday. At one department store, the sales lady was divine: patient with all my selecting, attentive but not pushy. At another slammed-busy retail store, the girl manning the chaotic dressing room maintained her sense of humor and our sanity. In four or five different places I saw obvious evidence of folks doing their jobs and serving their customers well.

Then I walk into a shoe store. SCREEEECH!! The nice relaxing Sinatra tune that had been bah-dum-dumming in my head all day came to an abrupt halt. Four employees were scattered through a space you could see from end to end in one glance, wrapped up in their own conversation. I made the loop through the store, passing within mere feet of each one. They never missed a beat, looked up or acknowledged a potential customer – in any way. By the time I left – empty handed – I was literally laughing out loud at the absurd contrast.

Oh and those shoes I was hunting? Six doors down I paid a very helpful gentleman $3 more for them.

So yes, I stand by C as a deal-breaker. I bet I’m not alone. Think about your own “They won’t get another dime from me!” experiences. Then as Christmas shopping shifts into full frenzied gear – take the time to make sure your employees understand the bottom-line implications of delivering downright cruddy service.

Tags:business, kja crew, management
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Convenience vs Experience

July 16, 2010

For years, there’s been a battle raging. A paradigm shift was born.

A man sits outside of a café as he taps on his laptop. A woman zooms by on her way to work. They both drink coffee. He savors with pleasure. She gulps with pace.

Nowadays, it’s all about speed. Speed is vital to the way society operates. Businesses adapt to meet these needs, and in the process two styles emerge.

Coffee, for example, has morphed from its originally crafted form to a less personal one, which involves a packet of powder in a plastic cup handed to you from a window. This form, which now greatly outnumbers the traditional coffee shop style, is found in fast food restaurants across the globe and is on the rise. People, more specifically Americans, go to these places to get in and out, not for the ambience or the furniture.

Tamp & Grind / 828 4th St. Alexandria

One notable exception is Tamp and Grind, a local downtown coffee shop. They’re an example of a holdout in this sweeping movement. Their goal is to create a mindful experience, not maximize efficiency and speed. They focus on slowing you down and catching your breath. You are encouraged to sit, listen to the music and enjoy the beautiful artwork on the walls. This is a place that cares about the experience you have from the time you walk in until the time you leave.

This isn’t just about a type of business. It’s important to remember the past on our way to the future. There was a time when the coffee shop was a getaway that everyone enjoyed; the place where everything slowed down. People read the newspaper, drank a cup of coffee or ate a slice of pie before going back to work. It was the ideal place for relaxation and conversation.

Each of these styles plays an important role in our society. Sometimes you have to grab a cup to go. It’s understandable. Mild doses of each will keep everything balanced.

As you make your way through your busy work week, take a moment or two to think about your part in this battle. Are you a patient patron or a speedy sipper? Or do you alternate? Our world is changing. Will you?

Tags:business, experience
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Your quality holding up?

May 20, 2010

Through the recent turn of economic events, companies have understandably looked for ways to cut corners. More work spread over fewer people. A shift to the “same” merchandise but with higher profit margins. Less expensive ingredients making up the whole.

So are you really offering the same cup of coffee, sandwich, salon experience or customer transaction as before? Or is it just a tad – shall we say – watered down?

Don’t kid yourself into thinking no one notices.

Sure, you MIGHT be able to pass off your super shrimpy shrimp poboy with a shrimp or two less without a ruckus. But then the Corner-Cutter goes on a snipping spree. They didn’t notice the shrimp, so let’s switch to frozen fries, and use a less expensive (read – generic) bread, skip the pickle, serve it on thinner plates and charge for extra condiments.

After this nose dive into the pot of sub-par offerings – you’ll be lucky to have any loyal customers left.

Folks become very aware of quality once its gone. It isn’t a fuzzy, “eh, they won’t miss it” luxury item. Quality separates you from the standardized pack. Quality – or lack thereof – is part of your brand. Where your quality goes – your reputation quickly follows.

Which way are they headed today?

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Tags:branding, business
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Make more from less

March 18, 2010

Less seems to be the focus. Less profit. Less customers. Less enthusiasm. Less money to spend on reversing the “less” trend.

Ok – so be it. On paper, maybe there’s less.

So are you getting MORE out of what’s at your disposal?

Your employees, more than ever, need to be on their best customer service toes. Above and beyond. Create more experiences for your customer to remember positively (and, ideally, tell their friends about).

Your products or services have to meet the changing needs of your customers. Different hours? New products? Expanded services? What problem can you solve for them?

Your customer relationships should keep you from guessing about what they need. (Shots in the dark waste precious resources.) Shore up those connections. Engage them and discover new ways to keep them coming back. Well-executed social media efforts can provide inexpensive ties to customers – both new and undiscovered.

Belt-tightening can tighten your focus, providing opportunities to learn and adjust. The more you do this – the less you’ll focus on “less”.

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Tags:branding, business, management
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Did you earn the sale?

February 23, 2010

Customer walks into your store, greeted with silence or maybe a look from the kid behind the register. She wanders around, mediocre piped-in music providing the soundtrack for her visit. She peruses the menu behind the counter, looks through some hangers on the rack, or inspects the interesting wares on the shelf. Your merchandise does the only selling on the ‘sales’ floor.

Customer walked onto YOUR sales floor.

Do you let her wander, without so much as a “Well, hello – thanks for coming in. What brings you by today?” (Skip the “Welcome to Generic Greeting” that zooms out of lips so fast no one understands it. That’s just noise.)

Do you actively engage her? Look her in the eye? Foster some type of relationship showing Customer just what a pleasant experience shopping would be with you?

You must let Customer know – without a doubt – you’re there to help. Not pester, pressure, tail, spy, or otherwise invade her space. Simply help solve her problem.

Sure, Customer might find the solution alone – choose the right item, make the purchase and walk away with little more than “Thank you.” When that happens, you’re forced to rely on your merchandise alone to bring her back. You did nothing to earn the sale OR Customer’s loyalty.

How long do you think that merchandise will sell itself in this competitive marketplace?

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