Solicit and Nudge the Customer to Act

 I'm a gullible kind, one who can easily be cajoled to part with cash or time. Well, there are many like me in any society. So, why can't retailers exploit this aspect in people. Yes, they do use the weak-links in the customer to cross sell services or upsell other products too. But, not all are good to do the smart talk or even do the smallest of action!

Few days back, I visited a newly opened spa and Salon in Trivandrum. I wanted to get a pedicure done, but my wallet only had money for a hair cut. Anyways, I asked for pedicure and haircut, without asking the price. 

After I sat down for haircut, I realize that I don't have the dough for pedicure, which I badly wanted. And, then I told the barber guy to cancel the pedicure. As he continued the crop, the owner of the newly opened salon came and said that there are attractive packages. I asked for pedicure rate and she said Rs 800. And then she said she will give for Rs 600. It was an okay rate, yet I didn't have the bandwidth. 

Later the fair owner and me exchanged talk about spreading the brand name and she asked me to spread the word. After the hair cut the lady who was supposed to do my pedicure took cash for haircut. She neither asked when I would be coming for pedicure nor said about work after taking Rs 190 for haircut charge. Btw, it's bit high for my wallet. Also, I gave 20 as tip.

At that time I was thinking that if she had asked me once or twice to have a pedicure, I would have fallen for her offer. Probably, she can say, I can offer 50 Rs discount if you do it now or book an appointment for tomorrow. Also, they never bothered to ask my number. Shame on them!

So, the point here to owners - just watch the CCTV footage and see how your staff is responding to customers. Are they even trying to smile, or appear thankful while receiving the cash, or are just acting like bots! 

NO Chai No Tea

 Yesterday at SUT Hospital, we both went to the caffetaira /canteen so that we can have tea. She said that the man had great difficulty in serving tea as the tea fella has left. Somehow she managed to get tea and a kadi. 

As I was sitting and sipping tea, another couple asked for tea. The abrupt and loud answer was NO. Only beef and something else is there, came the reply. 

So, the question is that what will you do as a business owner? So, if the tea or coffee maker leaves by evening, is there a way to service customers who comes for hot beverage. 

If I was running this place, I would have kept a vending machine and tell customers that only machine tea is available now. Do you like to have this?

Or probably, keep an extra hot flask with coffee or tea so that it can be served to last minute customers. It's not a good thing to leave customers with NO. 

Why are Tamilians run Kapi Shop attracting Customers

 Ganesh tea stall in different spots of the city is making good business. And that makes me wonder why we Malayalees are not cashing on this opportunity. What about Ragavan or Sreekumar's tea stall which can make hot tea with variety of kerala snacks. 

One thing is for sure, the Tamilian fells are helpful and polite and they know how to do business. Here's one example. 

One day I did'nt have iron clothes to wear. At the last minute I took to a close by Ironing shop run by a localite. He blankly said he can't do it. No apologies, no sorry face. Just get the f*ck out man....I'm too busy attitude.  Then I had to try another shop run by a Tamilian guy. I requested and he said he has too much of pending work. Yet he took it up! Wow! That was a big help to my problem! 

So, the question here, do you take such immediate or urgent customer requests? Will you try to give a curt reply or really apologize or give them a suggestion to try another shop or place. 

In search of Kapanlandi at Kumarapuram

 

Groundnut seller near Kumarapuram

Rains and Hot Goundnuts!

A quick urge has coming over me to have hot groundnuts in the evening. On the way from office around 7 ish, I take a detour to see if I can spot any kappilandi vandi ( vendor selling groundnuts). 

With rains in, it's often tempting to munch on hot groundnuts. Often times when I'm late to reach Kumarapuram, the guy who sells will take this kai vandi towards Medical College side. In that case, I have to go to the seller who is stationed near to the side entrance of Medical college ( SBI Bank side). 

So, what the hell am I'm trying to tell you. Well, one there are two things. A customer gets the urge to buy and hunts for the service. In this case, I tried to buy from the seller who's in close proximety. Second point is this, why are there any tamilians selling groundnuts. Where are our brothers and sisters? Are they not interested to do this job in the evening and earn an extra hundred or so. Btw, how much do you think a kapilandi karan will make in a day? 


Poonthi Road 

I was thinking if anyone could start a cart selling kapilanadi in Poonthi road. They can keep it stationed near to turning near Nikumjam apartment or near Aswas where the road is wide and where people stop by to get into different shops. 

What other things can these people add to their moving Kappliandi cart

1. Add steamer and sell momos
2. Keep another provision to sell cashew ( roasted)
3. Steamer with kappa and kandari ( Perfect!!) 

Can you come up with more options! 

Top In Town Cambridge Layout

 From the moment I started living in B'lore, I had used the services of Top In Town shop. The fellas who run and work there are mostly from Malapparum. At least that's what I guess. The services are many time better than most shops in Trivandrum. 

Back in 2007 onwards we were enjoying home delivery of goods to our house, a service which was non existent in most other places. 

I remember one buying experience. We ordered puttu maker. The delivery fella comes with three brands to our doorstep to pick our choice. WoW! 

What if other shops learn from this experience! 


Insta Mart and other Dark Shops are Here!


Post covid, customer is having plenty of choices to shop. Swiggy had made things easy to shop using their Insta Mart app. Recently in B'lore, we used it and the product was on our doorstep in jiffy. So, we are in a time when customer is fast loosing the affinity to one shop or store.

So, what are the reasons you give for a customer to make them park their vehicle and enter your shop? Answer to this is not easy. It's an ever evolving tweaks and changes that you must be willing to make so that your shop, hospital or garage becomes THE destination for shopper, buyers and customers. 

Why did I start this Blog?

 I'm just a blog fanatic. At one time, I used to randomly call friends that I had lost touch and tell them the power of blogs and how they should start writing one. It was somewhere in 2012 or 2015 or beyond that. I got the taste and power of blogs when I was working with Strategic. We were asked to blog to promote services. We created Google profile and started a string of blogs on blogger.com. 

And now in 2022, I'm still making one a similar template, not willing to try a new platform or design. 

Why a blog on Retail?

Every time I step inside a shop, I get into an investigative or an engagement mode. ( with an eye for improving service, sales and making human connection with the shop). From the moment I walk in to the time of check-out I often scan things that make the experience wonderful and joyful. Unfortunately, most shops hire bots to pick and deliver. The blame of improving service primarily rests on the owner or the shop floor manager. 

What can this blog evolve to?

I'm not sure if I can monitize this blog, even though I would love to as this is something I can easily do or do with joy. 

- Give consulation on how to improve shopping experience
- Become a mystery shopper and find the loopholes 
- Improve the placement of goodies 
- Find the star employee 

What attracts Customers to your Store?

 Recently at one of the shop at Poonthi Road, I asked for cellaphane tape. In one short reply, the lady at the counter said it's kept upstairs. It was sure from her reply, that she wasn't interested to get me the tape nor she asked any further questions about it. I did'nt buy the tape.

So, the question is, how trained, motivated and happy are the counter and sales staff in your shop?

Are they doing what's just necessary for the less pay or minimal standard pay that's offered to them? How can you spread joy and alacrity to your staff? How to get them to work extra for the pay or make them feel a part of the establishment? 

In most shops, I feel the person behind the counter replies to queries, or fetches the items asked for. There's no further interaction with the customer on a human level or in any other way to improve the customer service. This kind of attitude is more prevalent in shops at Trivandrum. 

I was in Malappuram for a short while, I could see how the owner or the sales persons behave proactively to get a sale. In one shop,  I enquired about an item and at the same time another customer walks in. The man immediately makes eye contact with the other person and asks a quick question. This way, the new customer is not left out. He'll wait for some-more time while the first customer is given the service. 

How many times have you found yourself ignored as you enter a shop? The sales person is too busy or appears busy to look at you or just ask a question or asks you to wait a minute. The fact of asking one question is enough to engage and make the customer feel wanted. 

Retail Shopping at Poonthi Road

 In 2022, there's been a steady rise of retail shops in this part of the world. Before Covid, there was hardly any vegetable shop in Poonthi road and its surrounding. Rangans shop at Kumarapuram was my regular stop, but I often gets pissed off waiting for my turn. It was always crowded and around that time, Vinod a sales guy joined this shop. He was one cheerful fellow who came all the way from Nedumangadu and beyond. Most time when I visited he used to ask a question or two. 

One day he stopped coming. When I enquired, I found that he sprained his back by carrying some veg stuff. And that was the end of his tenure here. Sad! I had called him couple of times. He now goes as patient bystander. 

Coming to the point about shops in Poonthi Road, I must say that one of the shop that benefited a lot during Covid season was Best Buy and the other margin free shops in Kumarapuram area. 

New Kids in the block - New Retails shops 

City Fresh near GG Hospital - They do home delivery! They were our lifeline during Covid times, also was Farmers Fresh an online veg delivery service. 

Chithra

Day Today Mart

What Special Do You Sell? Trivandrum Special Entha

 This is from a conversation I heard at Jayaram bakery near Medical college Trivandrum. I had stepped inside to buy bread and ghee mysore pak for my mom. As gree mysore pak go over, I was thinking what other sweet to buy for my eighty something mother. 

Coming to the point. There was a couple in this bakery and the lady asked the shopkeer or the sales guy this question - ENTHA TRIVANDRUM SPECIAL? To those who don't understand Malayalam, it would mean this.. Do you sell anything which is special to Trivandrum? ( something like this)

And to this question, the man said without my enthusiasm...Boley unde. Means, boly is there. So, the lady picked a pack of boley and then a julab jamun. 

Btw, is boly a specialty stuff of Trivandrum? Well, I'm not sure, what's the thing you can call as Trivandrum special. Is there any thing like, Calicut Chips, or Karachi Biscuit of Hyderabad, or  anything which can be rightly said as Trivandrum special. 

Probably, we don't have one. In that case, someone can start making a sweet and make it popular. Can you try that. 


Million Dollar Question...

So, when a customer walks in to your bakery or hotel or a spa or retail store, is there anything which is unique to your store? In the case of a hotel, you can keep a board and write, Thankappan Chef's Special Meen Curry or something like this sort to make it your innovation. 

One more example... when baking was trending in Trivandrum, there were many newbies who visited baking store to buy their first time goodies. At that time, none of the store had a package which had everything a new baker require to start baking. It's very sad that none thought about it and took opportunity of the boom time. Now, baking trend is on the decline and the interest has waned. |


The idea here is simple - think of creating or packaging stuff so that it can become your signature item for people to visit your retail store. 

Tang and Me

 I'm not sure, what has gotten of me. I got a humongous urge to start yet another blog. And, this time I choose the topic around retailing, retail store, retail service, customer service, customer loyalty and all things around running a small business store. 

So, If you happen to see this blog, here's what I may or might talk.

1. Share my experience at a store
2. Tips on improving customer service
3. Building customer loyalty ( Getting repeat biz)
4. Making that human connection with your store