This Trends note "How can I help you, sir?" was published in yesterday's print edition Independent on Sunday and starts "As shopping moves online customers are demanding more from the stores left on the high street, who are responding by returning to old-fashioned service."
It made me smile as well as roll my eyes to the heaven's as last Friday my wife went into John Lewis at Cheadle, went upstairs to look at jackets, leaving me to browse the ground floor. She was longer than I expected and appeared with a large bag and an expression on her face! "What's up?" say I.
"They really take the biscuit!" said my wife, " After looking through the racks I Finally found this coat , tried it on and decided to take it, turned round to an assistant and looked expectantly at her.... she eventually walked across to me and asked if there was a problem, adding 'could she order anything for me?' I replied that my husband was downstairs and I wanted this coat." She replied "well you can put it in a basket and take it downstairs to show him." I said "No I just want to pay for it " and as she walked off asked "How do I pay?". She turned and said.. "You can pay at the tills at the end of the floor indicating a queuing area".
My wife thought it odd that you could select a £300 coat, a £200 dress and some accessories and then queue like a supermarket customer, which is not as good an experience as being an internet shopper!!
I realised John Lewis had interpreted the trend differently and had tried to replicate the on-line shopping experience in the store... which an unusual approach. Or one that gets an efficient process in place without considering the shoppers? Internal and external points of view are necessary to have a chance of delivering a seriously exciting solution.... ask my wife!
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