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How To Execute The Image-Perception-Reality Concept To Increase Sales In Your Retail Store Part 2

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Read How To Execute The Image-Perception-Reality Concept To Increase Part 1

Continued from How To Execute The Image-Perception-Reality Concept To Increase Part 1….

ADJUSTMENTS OF CLEANLINESS STANDARDS

The second of the three principles were the minor adjustments I made to the “normal” cleanliness standards (borderline white glove for me) throughout the chosen sections. I would intentionally instruct the associates/managers to NOT MAINTAIN AND TO ABSTAIN FROM the normal cleaning standards (for a three-week period on this specific principle in three separate departments i.e. one week per department with specific sections chosen) that had been a trademark of my leadership style. This part of the experiment was extremely difficult for me to stomach because of the obsequious behavior I had for maintaining a clean and presentable store for our customers on a daily basis.

This process entailed: no straightening of product i.e. no facing or blocking of product to look like a solid wall of product, no dusting of product (which in a home improvement environment is brutal), no attention to detail (except for missing or torn shelf labels and marketing materials etc.), no cleaning of any kind, and no replacing any burned out light bulbs.

I must preface that the employees and managers ALSO had a hard time refraining from giving some TLC to the chosen sections. However, they understood the experiment which we had to allow to proceed while restraining ourselves throughout the entire one-week timeline.

The reason I had chosen a one-week period per department for this piece was that the cleanliness principle would be viewed multiple times by customers during the week, while we also had to accommodate for the customers “giving us a pass” for an unclean environment the first time. One time is a mistake, but two or more times becomes a pattern.

Another excruciating part of the experiment was to forgo our consistent sales numbers while subjecting myself and our store to the disruption of our daily routines. Just like the merchandising experiment, after each week, I would review all the “numerical data” and communicate this with the entire store team. I would continue to keep them abreast of the experimentation. Meanwhile, I would solicit their advice and opinions to gather further pertinent information.

“In addition, this experiment conjured up questions about our store environment e.g., what is going on in this store, did you change your management, and are you guys going out of business?”

This specific principle received a plethora of negative feedback from the customers and spurned additional criticisms about the environment of our store. In addition, this experiment conjured up questions about our store environment e.g., what is going on in this store, did you change your management, and are you guys going out of business?

This part of the experiment hit us pretty hard, which is why after I received the customer feedback, I shortened the timeline on this principle to only three weeks total (originally supposed to be four-weeks), in which, the overall results were transformative and conclusive.

In accordance with the merchandising principle, the sales numbers decreased; however, this time the numbers diminished even further than the merchandising experiment as the evidence was highly tangible and eye-opening for most of the employees and managers.

I must convey that when I choose to perform these experiments I was already exceeding my yearly budget and I had some “wiggle room” on my numbers to test out my theories. The years it took to fully understand this concept were intermixed with witnessing this idea in action, NOT INTENTIONALLY, and during my calculated time frames as a store manager.

MANIPULATION OF CUSTOMER TRAFFIC FLOW PATTERNS

The last of the three principles was to purposely adjust the customer traffic flow patterns throughout the store e.g., put large ladders in the racetrack aisles, put big carts in heavily shopped aisles, and not attempt to address any hindrances that would block or reduce any aisle flow. I explained to the department managers and assistant managers that I was going to conduct an experiment for only ONE-HOUR. Afterward, I wanted to reconvene to discuss their perceptions and to receive feedback on the customer comments/opinions.

“MOST customers were “on edge” and exhibited very little patience, as opposed to normally having more understanding and consideration for an issue or slightly extended wait time.”

I carried out my pre-meditated strategy by moving the 16-foot ladders to the main aisles, moved the large carts into heavily shopped areas, and I did not address anything that would cause congestion throughout the store. This part of the experiment was also very difficult for me to carry out; at the same time, I started my stopwatch and waited impatiently for one hour to pass. At the end of the one-hour time frame, I called all managers to the back and asked for their feedback. The comments started coming “fast and furious” about customers being upset, angered, and argumentative.

They specified that it felt like MOST customers were “on edge” and exhibited very little patience, as opposed to normally having more understanding and consideration for an issue or slightly extended wait time. Some customers abandoned their shopping carts and left the store; sales were down for that specific hour when compared to historical data.

“What happens to the mood and behavior of most drivers when a five-lane highway is reduced to two lanes?”

Most of my managers were aghast and asked zealously, WHAT DID YOU DO??? I explained to them that all I did was to severely restrict the customer traffic flow throughout the store. I used the example of what happens to the mood and behavior of most drivers when a five-lane highway is reduced to two lanes? The drivers become impatient, worried about being late, and/or angry about having their routine disturbed. Their energy shifts to a more negative pattern, and they are generally upset about the situation. I said, “This is what happens when our aisles are blocked and do not allow customers to move freely around the store.”

After this experiment, all my managers COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD why I was constantly moving ladders and carts to more appropriate and less traveled areas throughout the store. They also comprehended why I was extremely proactive in making sure these issues never arose in the first place. I discussed with them the horror stories I had witnessed during my career surrounding this topic and how supremely important it is to keep all the aisles open and uncluttered.

“ENERGY can be chaotic or harmonious within any space.”

This affords the customers easy maneuverability throughout the store. In a retail environment (or any environment for that matter), ENERGY can be chaotic or harmonious within any space. All it takes is to understand a few basic principles of how to keep spaces clean and accessible to allow the energy to flow uninterrupted.

The overall consensus of the image-perception-reality concept was enlightening and very poignant within the retail setting. It reconfirmed my suspicions surrounding how important it is to maintain clean and shoppable sections while making it a top priority to address any encumbrances that will disrupt the flow of positive energy in your store environment.

My peers were hoping to experience “Schadenfreude” from my temporary experiment. However, after my district manager asked me to share my findings with the entire district team, half of the store managers were interested to hear more; the other half remained skeptical and cynical surrounding the findings while continuing along their normal path.

“This information cemented the fact that when customers are shopping your stores, they will react accordingly to the store environment with their wallets and their loyalty.”

The image-perception-reality concept provided empirical and tangible data that was not achieved through chance, happenstance, or coincidence. This information cemented the fact that when customers are shopping your stores, they will react accordingly to the store environment with their wallets and their loyalty.

The fact is that revenue decreased each time we experimented with all three of the principles listed. If these issues are happening in your stores, haphazardly or unintentionally, your stores will continue to suffer the consequences of diminished sales and customers choosing to take their patronage somewhere else.

In this era of online and brick-and-mortar competition, we do not have the luxury of not addressing our store environments. We must react swiftly to ANYTHING that will force our customers to go elsewhere. In conclusion, I replicated these identical experiments at every retailer I worked for with the same expected results. It did not matter for which company I worked, the products sold, or the specific niche I worked in; this blueprint is extremely effective, reproducible, and portable.

Hopefully, you enjoyed this article. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and perspective. Have a blessed day!

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