Does Your Customer Service Need an Energy Boost?
We all think we are doing well with our own customer service. With so much information available on customer service, why is service still one of the biggest complaints by customers? What is the reality? Do customers expect more than is realistic? Is it simply that good service is taken for granted, but one incident of poor service is blown out of proportion?
Perhaps we are blind to our own mistakes. Are we failing to look at our stores from the customers’ perspective? Are we satisfied with service that is just ‘good enough’ because we have so many other concerns to attend to?
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Dealing With Ceilings
Everyone always talks about the hot zone – the area that sells the most in a gift and accessories store. Between 4′ and 6′ from the floor is eye level for most. Few people have to bend and only a few more have to stretch to comfortably shop within the hot zone. But, what happens above that zone? What if you have really high ceilings or, worse yet, low ones? How do you make your store work with less than ideal ceiling heights?
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Create Retail Displays That Attract Customers
Retail is a competitive business. Even if your product is completely unique, you still have competition. There is always another store down the street - or in the next cyber-mall - that is aiming for your customers’ wallet. Customers have a limited amount of disposable income, but their choices of where to spend it are infinite.
While there are many aspects involved in marketing and gaining customer loyalty, one of the most important is your visual presentation.
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Small Business Borrowing – A Primer on SBA Loan Programs
The White House recently announced a $15 billion plan to ease the credit crunch affecting many gift and decorative accessories businesses. One program earmarks funding for loans and technical assistance by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) “microloan” lenders.
In addition to extra funding for microloans, the new program will reduce small-business lending fees and increases the amount the SBA will guarantee on some small business loans. However, the new program does not stop there.
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Sharing Space and Ideas to Beat the Economy
Lisa Quall and Kelly Gasparich aren’t sure what business will be like when the economy rebounds, but they’re working overtime to make this challenging environment work for them.
A year ago, Lisa opened Elegant Clutter, a small boutique in Mill Creek, Washington, about 30 miles outside Seattle. Kelly joined her quickly and the two created a shop designed for women who enjoy making their homes beautiful.
Lisa and Kelly say much of the store’s success relies on attractive price points that encourage impulse-buying. They are determined to hold to their average price tag of $25 to $100 and rely heavily on IMAX products to do so.
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You Must Stay Alert
The rain was threatening and I was in a hurry. Grabbing the pen and ready to sign the receipt, I was stopped when the shop owner asked to see some identification. I dug in my wallet for my drivers license and waited while he examined it.
Annoyed?
Well, I was for a moment, I admit. Then he smiled and said, “Thanks, we’ve gotten a couple of stolen cards in the past few months and we just decided to be more cautious. It protects both of us, you know.” Yes, I do know.
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In the Eye of the Storm
As I write this, I almost feel our economy, and our industry, are in the eye of a hurricane. As you know, the early stages of a hurricane are usually followed by a calm period in the eye of the storm and then the inevitable slap of the backside of the storm.
Everyone knew in the fall and early days of the year our economy was headed for serious trouble. Now, as a new administration and many new brains try to figure out what to do, there appears to be a bit of calm while everyone waits to see what’s coming. Regardless of what happens, some people will believe in the plan and some won’t. The backside of our storm will simply be the time it takes for things to improve.
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Stepping Up to the Challenge
The best thing about Americans, I think, is our ability to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start all over again, as the song says.
Admittedly, that may seem pretty difficult in these challenging times. But I’m beginning to see and hear indications that there is more positive thinking out there – and more people deciding to actually do something, not just worry and fret.
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Survive and Thrive
A Discussion on Maintaining a Successful Business in These Trying Times.
Bring together a group of retailers, vendors and sales representatives to discuss how the current economic climate is affecting their businesses and you get a very lively exchange. That’s what Gifts & Decorative Accessories and World Market Center Las Vegas did.
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The Turnaround To-Do List
Jeff Sands
Ten Steps to Improve Your Company Now
Right now, our world is in for a tough ride. Sunnier days will come and now is the time to prepare. During my first business turnaround, my mentor tried to reassure me with a Freudian slip: “It’ll get painful before it gets worse.” I knew what he meant to say, but realized the accuracy of his statement.
Since then I have returned five gift/décor businesses to profitability. Along the way I learned many tricks and have seen the same patterns repeated. Following are ideas to help you get through the coming year:
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