Showing posts with label Retail Business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Retail Business. Show all posts

Monday, February 18, 2013

Do not Make This Business Mistake!

Many businesses, both in the Internet business and offline business, whether successful that later business can thrive;-and instead they ended up bankrupt, never made a business mistake. Those who are successful are successful then learn from his mistakes. Instead they are bankrupt, did not have time to immediately correct the mistakes that they have created.
So, in this post summarized business lessons from the mistakes made.

1. Far from consumers. Sometimes when a person has begun to be successful, they are getting away from the consumer. Yet when it started happening, fall means the business started. Because you do not know what the needs and desires of consumers is growing. And it's like letting "your business is digging her own grave".

2. Lack of focus
. Many businesses who then lay the loss of focus. They do not focus on its core business. So then it is not the core business of developing and it is so screwed up that designed the original business concept.

3. Mistakes on recruitment. Other businesses are errors in HR recruitment. When you do not get the right people for the kind of work that should be addressed. This will obviously affect the performance of the company you build.

4. Obsessed. One mistake that many business people are too obsessed done to make the business was growing very fast and great. As a result, there is little that then there desperate to borrow loans to expand the branch up here everywhere. Though new business for the rest of corn.
In my opinion, the initial goal is to build a business that generates profits, so someday become a big business. Because of these advantages, the business can thrive and be great.

5. Financial mistakes. Poor financial management can be the cause of a roll mat business. Financial uncontrolled causing joints crippled business one by one.

6. Do not have the vision and strategy. When a business owner does not have the vision and strategy of how to grow the business, that means it's time the business will be going nowhere, stuck, and not going anywhere.

When you start to build a business, would you want a successful business. Therefore businesses learn from mistakes ever made is important. So that you do not need to go through the mistakes others have made, and you do not need to make the business ruins.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Engage Your Customer - Write About Benefits

Think quick. In 10 seconds, can you list the 5 key benefits you offer your customers?

I bet you said "Yes". But are you sure you listed benefits? If you'll bear with me for another 10 seconds, I'd like to test out a theory on you.

Recap your answers – maybe even write them down. Now list the 5 main things your business does. In other words, what are your 5 core services? What are the 5 core features of your product?

If your first list looks anything like your second, chances are you're mistaking features for benefits. As a result, it's likely that your marketing materials aren't engaging your customer. Customers don't want to know what you can do. They want to know what you can do FOR THEM.

Don't talk features – talk benefits.

Don't be alarmed. You're not alone. Most business owners and marketing managers are so close to their product or service that they have a lot of trouble distinguishing benefits from the features of their offering. Ask a web host "what are the benefits of your service?", and you'll likely hear something along the lines of, "we offer load-balanced server clusters." But that's not a benefit… that's what they do. The benefit is superior uptime and performance.

In fact, so many people think features instead of benefits that it can work in your favour – to dramatic effect. If you can accurately identify your benefits, and convey those benefits to your market, you'll be light-years ahead of most of your competition. You'll be converting leads into sales while they're still bogged down trying to promote features.

So if you've ever sat down to write a sales letter and wondered how you're going to grab your reader's attention, or you've ever gone 'round in circles writing draft after draft of web copy without ever hitting the mark, now you know where you were going wrong.

The only question remaining is, how do you do it right? Advertising copywriters and website copywriters do it all the time – and most of the time, they do it with benefits. Benefits are the copywriter's holy grail. But if you're not a seasoned copywriter, how do you identify the benefits you offer your customers?

There are any number of ways to identify the benefits you offer. This article discusses just three:
1) Customer Research
2) Speak to Your Sales Team
3) Make it Easy for Your Customer to Get Buy-In

The method you choose depends on your time constraints, budget, and level of customer interaction.

1) Customer Research
The most obvious way to identify benefits is to ask your existing customers. They're spending a lot of money on your offering, so you can be sure they know what benefit they're getting from it. (In many cases, it can be handy to ask them what benefits they'd like to be getting from you too!) Unfortunately, like everyone else, your customers are busy people. In most cases, you won't get useful feedback by simply sending an email enquiry. You have to make it easy for them to respond, and you have to make it worth their while. Think about questionnaires and surveys for quantitative data, and interviews and focus groups for qualitative data. These are the simplest techniques, but you still have to make sure you interpret the results appropriately. And always remember that they're self-report methods. People will sometimes tell you what they think you want to hear. (That's also why you have to word your questions very carefully – try not to ask leading questions.) Of course, there are plenty of other research techniques around. Do a bit of homework and find the methods which best suit your business requirements. But don't get carried away by the possibilities. All the research data in the world is pointless if you're not talking the language of your customer.< 2) Speak to Your Sales Team
Sadly, not every business can afford to invest in market research. If your budget doesn't stretch far enough, try talking to your sales people. They're out in the field every day, talking to customers. And because their livelihood depends on their success in engaging customers, chances are they'll be able to tell you what your customers want to know. (A word of warning, though… Be careful not to make lofty promises. Unlike your sales team, written collateral doesn't generate a rapport with your customers. Customers won't make as many allowances, so you can only stretch the truth so far in writing before your credibility suffers. What's more, if you do push the boundaries, you're more likely to be held to your word!)

3) Make it Easy for Your Customer to Get Buy-In
If you don't have the budget for in-depth customer research, and you don't have a sales team, a good tip is to imagine how your customer gets buy-in from their boss. Quite often, the decision maker is someone higher up the food chain than your direct audience. Your audience will probably be the key stakeholder – they'll be the user of your product, or the recipient of your service. But when they find an offering they like, there's a good chance they'll have to sell it to someone further up the line. If you can make this sale easier, you'll have a foot in the door. Don't just appeal to the sensibilities of the direct audience. You also need to ask yourself what they need to know to convince the decision maker. If the decision maker is a CFO, think Return on Investment (ROI) and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). If the decision maker is a CIO or MIS, think performance, technological sustainability, availability, manageability, and ease of integration. If the decision maker is a CEO, think liability, risk management, and ROI. And only use jargon to prove you know your stuff. Remember… tag line will probably have the ultimate decision maker scratching their head, not reaching for their cheque book.

There are many many more ways to identify benefits. This is just a very superficial snapshot of some techniques you might like to try. At the very least they'll get you thinking benefits.

In the end, the message is simple. Forget all the fancy talk about complicated revolutionary marketing principles. Forget new-age hard-sell advertising quick-fixes. Forget looking to so-called "experts" for solutions. Just think benefits. And if you can accurately do that, the rest is just mechanics. Once you know what you want to write about, you just need to put pen to paper. And that's a whole another story!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Customer is not Target, but Friend

Sales will be hard to do when the salesperson is overly aggressive offer products like hunting prey. All traditional salesmanship based on persuasion method, namely to persuade people, as the main thing. Because it usually emphasizes pad salesmanship training techniques to identify target markets, and approached to find out what is needed and not desperate to be handed a wide selection of sale.

Also learn about denial or objection that may appear to be prepared answers. The theory is based on a belief: "If no objection, then the customer is ready to close the sale." Spin selling is to avoid the objection. Because, if there's an objection, the actual psychological denial will arise. Through this approach the customer pattern is not a target but a friend, if possible customers are not pressured to buy , but aided by a trusted friend.

In 4-D bridge harry Potter, Walt Disney World, Florida, I was fascinated and carried away to "another world" for three minutes. Although very brief, but it was long, and I was out. Outside there was a special counter selling many magical wands of the characters in the story of Harry Potter. The guards just asking simply, I fit the character which one? He never sold it to me, also never offer a discount on the magic stick that costs U.S. $ 25. I do not know the character details respective roles in the Harry Potter story, but with a spontaneous, I replied that I liked the character of Harry Potter. The assistant it says: "Wow, that is you, man! This magic stick reflect your character if you put it at living room. "A statement from a friend who seemed wants to help me reflect on my dream character.

I ended up buying the expensive rod and still comply with the seller. I put the magic wand in the living room. Thus a stick for U.S. $ 25 becomes expensive again because I do not buy a piece of wood, but a symbol character. Greater is after I make a selection and pay; the seller wrapped it and handed it to the rapid style of a friend while saying congratulations. "Congratulation man, you are the character now!" It turns out I'd love to hear greetings like this than a thank you.

Do not think that it applies only to small items and retail sales. The principle is the same if you want to sell big ticket items, such as cars, houses, and even insurance. You are not being herded, but helping a friend through a transparent conversation. When the decision has been taken, the next is a bigger moral obligation to continue to show that the choices made are not wrong!

Friday, February 15, 2013

Basic Attitudes In Serving Customer

Each employee must provide services by placing himself as a consultant to all customer that comes into the store. The attitude of an employee is a reflection of the company's attitude towards its customers. If the employee is bad in terms of customer service, then the corporate image is also bad in the eyes of customers. So, it is important to communicate to the employees about the good service to customers.
In general, the basic attitude of good service to the customer are:

1. relax
This means :
- Use non-formal language, according to the character of the customer being served.
- Show a confident attitude
- Able to create a fun and friendly atmosphere

2. Prioritize services to customers than other activities.

3. Do not obtrude.

4. Required to provide information on:
- self-identity
- product advantage
- ongoing promotion

5. Always show an attitude ready to serve any time.
Things that are considered not show a service attitude is:

- Receive or play Telephone / Mobile in the store floor
- Indifference
- Joking and huddle with fellow employees
- Relying on the product display,door, display window, etc
- Stand idly Attitudes

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Build Your Warehouse, and Expand Your Store Area

When you open the store for the first time, maybe you have a few of the quantity and diversity of products. You do not have a lot of quantity and product variety was limited to best seller category. This closely related to your business financial.

But over time, your business is sure to grow. The manufacturers began eying your business and hope to become your supplier. Similarly, customers demand on your product is rapidly increase. Of course you will compensate it by increasing the quantity of products and increase the variety of products that you sell in your store. Now you need a warehouse to store your merchandise products. It is time you should build a warehouse and even expand your store area. If necessary, you should have your own store building, and no longer hiring.

The robustness of a building determines operational stores processes that you run; so purchasing building materials such as steel frame building should be an important consideration and maybe the first list to consider. For building materials, one recommendation is FLGB. FLGB material is very strong and durable so that you are not too much bothered with the building repairing cost at a later date.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Importance of Point Of Purchase (POP) In Retail Business

When we went shopping for food, clothes or a car, we will be given many choices, and too much choice. Are we going to choose a brand familiar to us, or we take the challenge to try a new brand?

With so many choices faced by consumers, then they will be very easy to become overwhelmed, and they tend to give in to the decision making process by buying products that are already known rather than try something new! But even if we wanted to try a new product, customers do not even know where to start. Too many POP materials and communications issued by the maker of brands talk about the features of their products and completely forgot to talk to the benefits - in a product. Benefit-driven communication is the best way to talk to customers. Is the brand more efficiently? Providing time-saving or cost-effective?

At the store, merchandising and point-of-sale (POS) is a very important thing to make a connection with the customer to encourage impulse sales. To catch the eye of consumers, brand owners and retailers need to constantly create innovative Point Of Purchase (POP) in the store to attract attention. Without attracting attention and communication, many consumers often overlook new products or specials and consequently buy products that are familiar and already trusted.

Business retailers want to ensure that their brand is in stores and available to consumers. Here are the things to watch out for doing that:

Packaging: This is the most important brand POP. This is the part that will continue to work everywhere: on the shelf, in a store, in the kitchen, at home, anywhere. It's all about originality! A brand needs to have a unique character and personality and more importantly talk about the benefits.

POP: Using a unique visual elements and colors that describe a brand in order to attract customers. Creating effective POP on shelves, cell phones, coupons, or digital media are some tactics that can be used.

Check Out Displays: Using Check Out Displays in the store is an effective tactic to make the brand stand out. While consumers wait in line, strategy shelf "one brand" can create astonishing effects. And certainly will increase impulse buying customers.

Floor Graphics, Floor Stand, Floor or display: Usually placed in front of the store. It is an effective and creative way to direct consumers to a product! Reforming certain artistic products coupled with attractive graphic images will provide a significant effect on sales.

Effective POP can make consumers out of their routine, and this can affect the behavior of their shopping and their purchase decision. All retail businesses should be sure to do it right. However, so many cost spent for advertising, if consumers do not find them on the shelves, there will be no sale.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Customer Perception, Failure and Impact

Each customer will process the perception it receives after making a purchase or use a service. But perception is not the same for each customer.

Regarding to the customer perception, Pride and Ferrell describes it as a process of selecting, organizing, and interpretation of information to produce meaning, so that from the definition, it could mean that a person's sensations received through sight, feeling, hearing, smell and touch from each person will have different perceptions of the same situation, because everyone will capture, organize and interpret information in accordance with his own way.

If there is a failure service, then this perception is best understood as an issue in the resolution of problems (problem-solving issues) faced by customers during the service received.

In addition contact or interpersonal relationships (interpersonal contact) performed by the employee service providers with customers during the service recovery is a crucial factor in the perception of the quality of services rendered. In other words, employees play an important role in service recovery and negative experiences. Employees’ ways to handle these service issues will determine the company's brand image which made the migration of customers.

In the event of dissatisfaction or disappointment resulting from the negative perception of service quality, then there are four possible responses of customers, such as customers stop buying products/services of the company, convey the negative words of mouth to family, coworkers, or other close person, customers complain through the mass media, customer organizations, or government agencies concerned, and/or sue the manufacturer or service provider to legal services. If this happens then the company's image and reputation will be damaged and it will be difficult to repair.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Conventional Stores and E-Commerce

Seems that the most successful businesses today is to have a web site, for web businesses can pass geographic area. On the web, where its market share is global, then local businesses can experience a slump and suffered heavy losses.

An example is the retail business. These businesses provide the products that are sold retail to meet the needs of consumers. By using the website to sell products and to introduce his store brand, an online retail store can get target market globally. Online Retail is commonly referred to as e-commerce.

E-Commerce provides several advantages not shared by conventional stores. These benefits are in addition to obtaining a broad market, e-commerce can reduce spending because of shop space rental costs. Besides e-commerce enables consumers to buy their products, because they do not have to move from house to buy an item he needs.

In fact, if the site owner does not want to deal with inventory and stock the product, affiliate system can be used to generate income. Affiliate system allows site owners to sign up for the program with the results of other companies. An affiliate program allows site owners to offer products or services of other companies and get a commission from the sales generated from the site owner's site.

In short, if you run a business that operates locally and also maintains a web site, then you will gain a double advantage, that is expanding its market to global markets without leaving loyal customers for your conventional stores.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

5 Ways Digital Marketing Boost Customer Loyalty Program

The presence of digital technology has clear benefits both for individuals and the business world. This technology dramatically creating new ways for companies and customers in touch. Companies need to understand their customers in order to respond to customer needs better than their competitors do. For some businesses, it makes the customer loyalty program becomes more important. Because it can be the glue between the digital world with the offline world.

Unfortunately, in some cases the program through the digital channels do not "connect" with a customer loyalty program. Some companies move their loyalty programs from printed format to digital format in the form of online coupons, email, and mobile applications. But often this is underpinned by a passion for cutting costs, not to build closer relationships with customers.

Not only that, sometimes switching formats because the program was also conducted offline loyalty program does not run properly. However, if the pattern of communication that is wrong, transferred to any format still will not change things. Digital technology opens up many opportunities, but if you can not use it well will not be any good.

Digital technology is more than just a means to save costs, a new business unit, or tactics. Customer data or company-owned loyalty program will be more profitable if the company is able to think strategically about the role of digital in building a customer-oriented business.
Customer loyalty programs should be regarded as a key platform for growth companies. Digital technology is a tool to do so. There are five digital solution that can support a customer loyalty program.

Provide Data
Customer data is one advantage to be gained through loyalty programs. Mechanism Digital is now able to produce this data without the need for a separate infrastructure. A number of significant data if taken properly and combine it with existing data will help companies understand customers and improve communication in order to meet their needs.
Insight gained from the site or social media can help companies to understand customer buying motivation. Unfortunately many companies who have a website consider this channel as a complement and not forget that there is new data that can be taken from there. So change the way we look to the digital channels, and we will get a pleasant surprise from there.

New Mechanism for Dealing with Customers Anytime, Anywhere
Customers have many options and opportunities to connect with anyone in the digital universe. Therefore very important to expand loyalty program strategy into digital channels. That way companies can maximize the opportunities to connect with customers in ways that are most relevant.

Provides Digital Data to Traditional Media Channels
Digital technology opens up many opportunities in the media that were previously closed. Data of digital media at the individual level allows us to see the target customers that match the specific communication channels. Not only that, the data also allows us to make measurements that connects online data with offline sales data to understand the effectiveness of the media. With the partnership between online and traditional media, we can take measurements and obtain a clear ROI. Is not that what we've been looking for?

Digital Payment Solutions
Some businesses have released an e-wallet, and some have created their own way of transaction. On the one hand, this program can be a threat of disinter mediation loyalty program, but on the other hand also opens up opportunities. Customers simply bring a wallet (with a lot of cards in it). However, with so many cards you have, the customer will probably forget the programs that we offer. Therefore, the presence in the minds of customers is the key. Digital payment solution would be preferable, but in order to succeed you have to keep your brand top of mind of customers, both in terms of awareness and confidence.

Strengthen Confidence
New channels, new data and new service providers to add complexity for companies to manage data and customer preferences. This is compounded by the issue of personal data security is increasingly a concern of customers. Beliefs and values into the key relationships with customers, especially if they have to share personal information to companies.

Therefore, companies should be able to transparently about the security of personal data and be honest about the value provided to customers. Loyalty program is a tremendous platform in strengthening and maintaining trust. You do this by providing value through the shopping experience.

The philosophy and approach to loyalty will always be a competitive advantage which is owned company that makes it valuable in the eyes of customers. Hence loyalty programs should not be removed from the priority simply because there is a new digital toy more sleek. The program should be seen as a key platform to drive growth and connect the online and offline, both for companies and customers.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

3 Fundamental Philosophy Regarding Sales in Retail Business

In gaining and maintaining customers who shop in our store, it must be understood three basic philosophy regarding the sale, namely:

1. The main target of every employee is to create and maintain customers.
Many people, including salespeople and managers, who believe that the main task of a salesperson is to make the sale. In other words, the sale is something that is important. But creating a sales means creates the dollar sales for the short term, while creating a customer is to make a dollar in the long term. Providing service to customers satisfaction is the process of creating dollars in the long run. Satisfaction that they receive will make them come back again and again to shop in our store.

2. There is a big difference between selling and helping a person to buy.
This is not mere wordplay. The difference lies in our attitude. Sales are typically manipulative, he took the approach, "Let us see what is ours and persuade someone to buy it." Meanwhile, helping people to buy is through the approach, "Let's see what is needed by customers and the extent to which those needs can fulfilled by us. "

This approach is not very pressing buyer or sellers. Precisely the buyer actually feel happy with that approach because they feel helped.

3. Humans love to buy, but hate when someone sells something to him.
It has become a matter of course when your home visited by a sales for a specific product offering. His arrival makes you frown because a few days ago the other sales come to offer other products as well, but only used it a few days the product was defective. And you blame the seller because presumed to sell a product that is not good. You think if only if the product is purchased in the mall or shopping center may not be damaged. This is human behavior, always blaming others for their suffering experiences.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Basic Attitudes In Serving Customer

Each employee must provide services by placing himself as a consultant to all customer that comes into the store. The attitude of an employee is a reflection of the company's attitude towards its customers. If the employee is bad in terms of customer service, then the corporate image is also bad in the eyes of customers. So, it is important to communicate to the employees about the fgood service to customers.
In general, the basic attitude of good service to the customer are:

1. relax
This means :
- Use nonformal language, according to the character of the customer being served.
- Show a confident attitude
- Able to create a fun and friendly atmosphere

2. Prioritize services to customersservices to customers than other activities.

3. Do not obtrude.

4. Required to provide information on:
- self-identity
- product advantage
- ongoing promotion

5. Always show an attitude ready to serve any time.
Things that are considered not show a service attitude is:

- Receive or play Telephone / Mobile in the store floor
- Indifference
- Joking and huddle with fellow employees
- Relying on the product display,door, display window, etc
- Stand idly Attitudes

Sunday, January 6, 2013

The Importance Of Purchase Situation For Customer

The occurrence of unplanned purchase ever made by anyone, especially in the time to shop at retail stores. Today many emerging types of retail businesses (retailing) including supermarkets, superstores, hypermarkets and discount stores. This type of retail business is providing almost all products of daily needs to shoes, clothes and electronic goods.

Intense level of competition among supermarkets, superstores, hypermarkets and discount stores, requires every retailer trying to offer a variety of stimuli to attract customers to make purchases. For that situation, especially the purchase of the physical environment such as color, sound, light, weather, and the spatial arrangements need to be considered by a retailer, because the physical environment is expected to attract customers to make purchases that are not planned in advance. customers who have sufficient time to search and process them with good information is expected to bring the desires for purchase goods that are not planned.

However, unplanned purchases made ​​customers first consider the needs, values ​​and interest (involvement) in the product to be purchased.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Definition of Consumer Involvement

Each time make decisions or purchases, consumers first consider. Sometimes took long time to decided on the merits, more or less, or the pros and cons. Well it actually the process of engagement between something which we think to ourselves, and its often called "consumer involvement".

Some marketing experts expressed definition of consumer involvement as follows:

Customers involvement defined by the Engel, Blackwell, and Miniard as the perceived level of personal interest or interest generated by the stimulus in a specific situation. Involvement is best understood as a function of people, objects and situations.

Pride and Ferrell revealed that the level of consumer involvement is the reason why consumers are motivated to find a particular product and brand information.

Peter and Olson confirmed that involvement is a motivational state that drives and directs the behavior of consumers when making decisions.

Each consumer has an underlying motivation in the form of needs and values. While involvement will arise when the object (product, service or promotional messages) can help to meet the perceived needs, goals and values that were important. Meeting these needs is perceived to be varied or not the same from one situation to others.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Effect of Marketing Stimulus In Unplanned Buying Decision

Stimulus in the purchase situation experienced by consumers have a role in consumer unplanned purchases. When a customer was walking in a supermarket and see the discounts on shoes, consumers considering the purchase.

Passion of consumer interest in discounts evoke a desire to try and become involved in previously unplanned purchases. But the intention to make unplanned purchases are going to change because consumers consider the needs, values and interest in these shoes. If the perceived need is not urgent, the product which will be bought has low value and consumers felt less keen to have it, then unplanned purchase will not happen.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Corporate Values As a Component of Strategic Thinking

In March 2002, Fortune magazine named Wal-Mart as the largest company in the world. Now this global retailer has about more than 3,000 outlets across America, and more than 1,000 retail outlets in any types of retail store (discount stores, supermarkets, department stores) in foreign country. Wal-Mart is the first service and trade company that won a position as the world's largest companies. Wal-Mart is an example of the triumph. Sales in 1973 of approximately U.S. $ 1 billion per year. And 20 years later, the company could generate that much revenue in just one week only. Previously the company has also been cited as the "Retailer of the Century" by Discount Store News magazine, one of "The Most Admired Companies in America" by Fortune magazine, and "100 best companies to work for" by the Financial Times.

All these achievements are not created in an instant. Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, has for many years apply some principles key to his shop called with 10 values of Sam Walton. When asked what makes Wal-Mart can be a huge successful business, their executives said that this company is making the values of Sam Walton as their main source of competitiveness.

The story above is an inspiration that you can bring the values of working in your shop. Just select a few key values that you want to be a priority. Here are some of key value that can be highlighted in your store:

1. Ethics
Your store operates honestly, both to customers and employees. For example, all employees of the store shall refund the excess payment to the customer, you do not sell products that have expired, not cheating in the use of weights, etc..

2. Environment
Your store will care for the environment (nature and society), because you realize that the development of your store depends on the warmth of your relationship with the environment.

These values are different from the vision and mission that can be embedded or notified verbally. These values should really be felt by all parties involved in the store, and applied consistently. Direct example and your behavior as a store owner will determine the success of the realization of these values.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Categorizing Products Or Services

In fact, an offer can vary from two extremes base namely pure form of goods and pure services. Based on these criteria, then the supply of an enterprise can be divided into five categories, namely:

1. Purely physical product
Offer consists solely of a physical product, such as soap, toothpaste, or laundry soap, without any accompanying services or service products.

2. Physical product with support services
In this category offer consists of a physical product that is accompanied by one or several services to enhance the appeal to consumers. For example, car manufacturers have to offer far more than just a car, that is biased includes delivery service, repair, installation and so forth.

3. Hybrid
Offer consists of goods and services that equal portions.

4. Services are supported with minor products or services
Offer consists of basic services with additional services (complementary) and/or material support. For example, airline passengers who purchase transportation services along the way, there are several elements involved physical products such as food and drinks, magazines and others.
Such services require goods that are capital-intensive for its realization, but the main offer is services.

5. Pure service
Offer consists solely of a services. Example lawyer, consultant, doctor, etc.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Good Customer Who Ruin Your Business

I am a good customer. You all certainly know me. I am a customer who never complained; no matter form of service I received.

When I go into a restaurant, then I will sit quietly while the waiters chatted and did not bother to inquire whether there was someone is coming to take my order. Sometimes a group of people who come after me served first, but I'm not complaining and whining. I'm just waiting.

And when I go into a store to buy something, I do not want to make others difficult. I am trying to understand others. If a servant is acting to be offended, because before taking a decision I had to see the various items on display, so I tried to be polite. I do not believe that rough should be met with rough.

Sometime ago I stopped at a gas station and had to wait until nearly five minutes. And when the waiter serves me, the gasoline filled squirt into my windshield, and then he wiped it with an oily cloth. Do I complain? No, I just stay quiet. I never forced, I never whine. And I never imagined that I would be a spectacle in public places. I think it is not appropriate, but I did not say anything, because I am a good customer. And do you want to know anymore who I am?


Sunday, December 23, 2012

Shopping Customer Motives

Shopping is fun for some people, because shopping is not only buying and selling activity, but also recreational activity in today's society. Unlike some years ago, now shopping activities not only as a routine activity to meet the necessary items, but often become entertainment shopping activities to eliminate the boredom of daily activities performed.

Customers have various motivations or reasons to shop, but to get the product, customers also view shopping as an enjoyable activity accompanied by one or more activities as expressed by Henry Assael marketing experts that shopping is an activity to enjoy the store environment, track and observe the store bargains, speak the clerk, as well as spending money.

Shopping activities Seems simple, but the truth is therea are complex interactions between various aspects of the environment where shopping is done. so that the activities of marketing strategies are designed to understand customer shopping behavior.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Product Availability In Offline Stores

Customers behavior are commonly the same. They look for something they like, something their needs and they usually stick with it. They tend to change when something really compels them to do so, and it is not always about the price.

Retail businesses has a lot of competition; not only competition with similar size stores, but also a competition with online marketplaces and big box stores. If we do not managed our store very well, then our business can easily runs out.

Retail business has something important, and that is shelf space. Note that there are no retail store business can carry every item or even every style, shape or flavor of every item.
This means is also that these businesses can't satisfy all customers. And, if a customer cannot be satisfied, then that is an opportunity for another store - your store.

I believe that you have an experience when you gone to some store to find a certain product, but when you get there, you only found that the big empty space on the shelf where the item use to be. The store either don't carry it, quit carrying it or just are simply out of it? How is your feeling? The feeling that you either have to go somewhere else or settle for another item; an item that you either don't want or that does not fully meet your needs.
So, as a store owner, here is thing to do about our product availability:

1) Offer More Selection:
If your store can offer more selections or even more styles, then your store can attract and retain customers who want something more than just the regular product.
More selections means having more brands with higher quality and prices, more type of products, or more brands product with same quality and same prices.

2) Keep Your Shelves Stocked:
I hate going to a store, only to find out that they are out of product that is I needed. Well, what is your feeling is the same feeling with other customers. Not having the products on hand that customers want, does not instill a loyalty in that customer, and it is bad for business.
Keep our store shelves always stocked with products that customers can get at any time, can opens up an opportunity to earn a loyal customers, and making good image of our store.
Assume that customers are a very busy people. Thus, if they can go to your store and always get what they want, they are more willing to pay a little more for the product and the convenience.

3) Quality:
If your retail store can provide better quality, typically at higher prices, then your store has differentiation from other store. There are customers out there, even the most frugal ones, who will spend more money, make larger purchases, because they understand about the important of higher quality.

What you should do is just have to educate people. And, that means using your marketing strategy to not just let them know where to find your store or to promote your latest sale - but, use that marketing strategy to educate people on the overall cost savings they will realize from buying high quality products from your store.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Basic Attitudes In Serving Customer

Each employee must provide services by placing himself as a consultant to all customer that comes into the store. The attitude of an employee is a reflection of the company's attitude towards its customers. If the employee is bad in terms of customer service, then the corporate image is also bad in the eyes of customers. So, it is important to communicate to the employees about the good service to customers.
In general, the basic attitude of good service to the customer are:

1. relax
This means :
- Use nonformal language, according to the character of the customer being served.
- Show a confident attitude
- Able to create a fun and friendly atmosphere

2. Prioritize services to customers than other activities.

3. Do not obtrude.

4. Required to provide information on:
- self-identity
- product advantage
- ongoing promotion

5. Always show an attitude ready to serve any time.
Things that are considered not show a service attitude is:

- Receive or play Telephone / Mobile in the store floor
- Indifference
- Joking and huddle with fellow employees
- Relying on the product display,door, display window, etc
- Stand idly Attitudes