I run several busy retail news agencies in Australia. These stores sell magazines (more than 1,000 titles in stock), newspapers, greeting cards, stationery, books, social stationery and lottery products.
We see, on average, 1,000 customers each day. These are a high volume low transaction value businesses.
There are around 4,500 news agencies around Australia.
A customer asked for help in choosing a car magazine as a gift in my newsXpress Forest Hill store last week. She didn’t know much about cars and wanted to make sure she purchased a gift which would be liked.
Another customer offered to help as he was a car magazine enthusiast.
The two customers talked for ten minutes about cars and the car magazines we had on offer. They worked together to make the selection for the Christmas gift. They were a delight to watch.
We were most appreciative of the knowledgeable assistance given by the customer who stepped into help. He was glad to have the opportunity.
This true story is not unique. I bet it happens many times each day across the news agency channel in Australia and other retail businesses around the world.
People come to news agencies for magazines because we are the specialists – like the lady looking for a gift. People with special interests come to news agencies because of our range, our browser friendly attitude and because the environment is personal.
This difference – range, customer comfort and personal service – is vital to our entire channel. We owe it to each other to do our best in these areas as they reflect our point of difference.
We rely on the two customers in my story – the lady looking for a magazine as a gift and the guy who shops in news agencies because of the range and the browser friendliness. We need to do more to attract and keep them.
The Christmas spirit has been on show in retail businesses around the world with customers helping each other like in my story.
Independent and small retail businesses are wonderful places where humanity and compassion are on show every day. This is a point of difference in small business compared to large business. It is a point of difference we need to somehow embrace and promote.
- I have seen stores promote on their window slogans like:
- Where the community comes together.
- Where the community meets.
- Connecting the community.
- Local people serving local people.
- Shopping with friends.
- Come and meet your neighbours.
- More than shopping, a place to enjoy.
- Helping each other.
- Welcome home.
- We know your name, not your number.
While some of these sayings sound cheesy, they do reflect the personal and local nature of the type of business I have described in my story. Locally owned businessesare more personal and connected then their big business competitors.
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