Customer Feedback
Some of the most useful feedback you’ll receive will come from your customers. Interestingly, you can also learn a lot from folks who own pets, but are not currently shopping with you.
We arranged to hold a focus group consisting of customers selected from our loyalty program. We chose both frequent shoppers and occasional shoppers. We also asked for some shoppers that shopped our competitors, both specialty and mass.
When asked what the most important reason for choosing where to shop for their pets, the #1 answer was convenience. That was before the days of Chewy and Amazon. I’m certain that convenience is still the number one answer. What can be more convenient than shopping from your couch? So, while it is still a factor, it is not where you have the advantage.
Where you do have the advantage and control was with the #2 answer. The service and shopping experience. I tried to start the experience even before the customer entered the store.
In a meeting with the store managers, I told this story.
On a regular trip we made down Card Sound Road in South Florida, there was a toll bridge. We always had our dog, Zo, with us. There was a very nice person collecting the toll. She always had a dog treat ready for Zo. You can guess that when Zo saw the toll booth coming up, he would whip himself into a frenzy in anticipation of his treat. Well, one day, when we got to the tollbooth, the nice person was gone and the grumpy new attendant offered no treat. Zo was devastated! From that day on, I had to “palm” a treat to make it seem like the attendant took care of him.
We had a program in place that, with the parent’s permission, we would offer a treat to every dog that shopped with us. I just wasn’t sure that it was being executed fully. I explained after my Zo story, that in anticipation of a treat, dogs would be dragging their humans into our stores. I even contacted one of my treat suppliers who provided the samples and propelled that treat to my #1 seller. One day we even held a treat tasting. We walked the store with plastic silver trays of treat samples. Everyone had a lot of fun.
In listening to the group, we also learned why people chose to shop with us and why they didn’t. We discovered some missing opportunities and made some changes that resulted in improved sales and increased customer loyalty and foot traffic.
You might ask some of your customers or friends who will give you honest feedback about their shopping experience. Listen objectively. You might take away some new ideas.
I shop locally at two independent specialty tropical fish stores. They both have very healthy fish and a great selection. But, they are both missing a big piece of the puzzle.The owners are not particularly engaging or even sincerely friendly. All I can think of while I’m there is how differently they might operate and improve their business. You can teach pet care. You can’t teach or mandate friendly.
It’s important to stress upon your staff that they should be sincerely grateful and friendly to each customer who makes the decision to choose to shop with you. Everyone needs to realize that customers today have so many options when choosing where and how to shop. Each customer is a privilege. Treat them accordingly.
