What do you give the person who has it all, who has had it all and/or who has just plain had enough? Individualism reigns, but topping most wish lists right now is the need for more time, closely linked with personal contact and sincerity. But how do you package that?
Recently, I overheard two women talking about their retail shopping forays. The first complained how over-attentive the staff were on her last visit to her favourite book store: "...they were swarming around every corner like locusts and the clerk asked everyone the same series of questions - did you find everything you needed today... blah, blah, blah! I was expecting someone to frisk me at the door!"
Following this, the second woman described how she had been at a trendy chain store and had been "invisible" to the staff working there: "There were ten of them milling around in their cute Santa hats, but they were all too busy talking to each other to notice me... the girl on cash kept me waiting several minutes while she chatted to a friend about her new car!"
This vignette illustrates the conundrum faced by companies who offer services - the solutions may seem simplistic at first glance, but in actuality they require highly individualized approaches to address complex cultural and regional preferences. And, there is the fine line that must be walked between over-attention and inattention!
No, you can't please them all, but you need to be attuned to generalities of experience. Want to monitor the pulse of your customers but aren't sure where to begin? We can help you put the comfort and joy back in both your customer's and your daily experiences.
