Doing business as usual?

Ask someone who runs their own company how business is and the answer is usually, “It could be better.” Is that an acceptable answer given today’s economy? It is an answer that we all can agree with. Business can be better, but only if we choose to work hard at doing the operational things within the business to make that a positive statement.

It has been a long, hot summer that was preceded by a cold, snowy winter, and the summer will be followed by great fall football weekends and way-too-early Christmas merchandising. Does any of this surprise you?

If all of these things are predictable, then why do businesses keep making the same excuses to validate why business isn’t as good as it could be?

Summertime Blues
I shop a number of garden centers in my city. One I like for its selection of annuals; one because it is close; and one because it is the garden center “of choice” and the one I like to “spread the word” about.

During a recent sweltering July afternoon, I wanted a replacement plant for one that just couldn’t take the heat anymore. I chose to go to the garden center that runs 20-percent off the entire store for the whole month of July. This was the last week of July, and I made the short drive in the blazing sun to see what they had left. There were very few cars in the parking lot, and I made my way through wilting hanging baskets and un-used carts to the annuals area. As I walked through the store, with minimal air conditioning, I noticed how reduced the inventory was, as well as the poor attempt at merchandising those items that were left.

The plant stock looked as hot and as stressed as I was. The outside area was as unkempt as the inside, and I found myself losing patience. I quickly realized that my purchase would not come from this garden center, and I retreated to my hot car to head to my “garden center of choice.”

Invigorated Retail
I was wondering if I might find the same experience on this hot summer day, but I was pleasantly surprised. The parking lot was full—even during the hottest part of the afternoon. The combo pots that lined the front of the garden center suggested it might be April—and not the end of July. The jazz music wafted through the air as I browsed through beautiful ceramic pots, colorful garden flags and large yellow-tagged merchandise at 30 to 50 percent off.

I was greeted by two young ladies working at the checkout desk in matching hot-pink shirts. There were sales items everywhere, but merchandised as if they were full-priced. I passed a woman with three huge pink-petunia hanging baskets she was purchasing for her daughter’s wedding. I overheard one of the male employees who had just come inside ask her, “May I suggest how you should water those so they will be perfect for next weekend?” I was all ears too, along with other customers in the store. He even brought over a watering wand to show her, “That’s how we do it here.”

I passed one of the decorators, already starting to work on fall displays. This garden center employs three of the best floral designers I have ever seen. They are talented not only in live flowers and producing all of their spectacular combo pots, but they are outstanding in their work in artificial arrangements and wreaths. Their merchandising talent rivals that of any of the major department stores. I believe that is what draws customers in.

So here it is, the hottest day of the summer and the parking lot is full, the customers are casually wandering the outside gardens and their merchandise looks fresh and of the highest quality at a time when other garden centers are wilted and whining.

What makes a winner?
This garden- and gift-center’s staff has realized that the store’s best customer is a woman. This center’s personnel know how to buy for women, they display and merchandise for women and artfully know how to keep their women customers coming back. On this hot summer day, I did get the plant I was looking for, but I also bought a Christmas gift for my granddaughter and a pair of shoes and a wonderful buffalo-wing dip that they had samples of with fresh veggies.

Funny, I went to this garden center for a plant.

So what is this store’s secret? I believe they know who they are, who they serve best, and their operational standards are of the highest quality at all times. Here are my “Top 10” reasons I think their customers find them their “garden center of choice.”

1. Quality and freshness trumps price.
2. Cleanliness is not an option; it’s a differential advantage.
3. Know your customer better than your competition.
4. Be relentless at inventory control and turnover.
5. Match your seasonal merchandising techniques with high-end retailers.
6. Hire a buyer who knows your women customers and can buy for them.
7. Have a savvy website and Facebook page that is updated frequently.
8. Offer events that are timely, fun, themed and marketed with flair.
9. Create an experience that is expected and delivered daily.
10. Be engaged, everyday, with every customer.

It doesn’t make any difference what time of the year that I head to this garden center; I know that there will always be something new, fresh, different and displayed in a way that customers say, “I can’t leave here without that!” I will also say that their prices are a little high—but that has never held me back from purchasing.

If you asked your best customers to describe you in three words, what would they be? For this garden center those three words for me would be “fresh,” “quality” and “exciting.” I’m not sure what the owner would say if I asked her, “How’s business?,” but I bet she would say, “It’s easy when I know who my customer is and how I can serve her best!”
 

Columnist Anne M. Obarski is a retail strategist and frequent speaker regarding customer retention and relationship-building. Join her new group for garden center professionals at www.merchandiseconcepts.com/gcroundtable.