News
Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping
Paco Underhill, Simon and Schuster, 2008
How do your clients and customers feel about their experiences in your facility? Have you maximized your potential to provide them with a positive experience or are there challenges that you can improve upon?
Underhill recommends observing your clients as they move through your facility to see what works and what doesn’t and offers some simple ways to change the negative to a positive. Here are some examples of Underhill’s conclusions.
Transition or Decompression Zone
Customers begin their “Transition” into a business by finding the entrance, slowing their pace and gathering an understanding about the layout of the facility. Observations by Underhill have proven time and again that information, signage, displays, and greeters located in this zone do not register in people’s minds. The solution: observe how your clients arrive. Give them space to “Transition” and then experiment with the placement of things such as retail displays in a veterinary hospital or a featured pet display in an animal shelter for the best impact.
Butt Brush Effect
Underhill observed in various locations that when customers were bumped, especially from behind, or their personal space was invaded, they tended to lose interest in what they were looking at and either moved to another location or even left the store. Is there adequate space in your animal shelter for people to comfortably look for a new pet to adopt? Is your retail space large enough for clients to comfortably look at your products?
Product Placement
Underhill gives a wonderful example of poor product placement. He observed that the customers who purchased dog treats in a grocery store chain were the elderly and young children. However, the store had placed the dog treats on the highest shelves in the pet aisle. Are your displays, signs, information or retail items easy to see and/or reach?
Making small, inexpensive changes to the client spaces of your facility can be a great way to improve the first impression that you make and enhance your established relationships.