Most purchases (perhaps barring impulse buys) are made to fulfill a need or to solve a problem. Looking from a broader lens, problems can be of numerous types and deviate heavily from the traditional sense attributed to them. Every product worth its salt today is made to alleviate a problem after it has been recognized and established. Products which do not solve anything, do not survive.

Much like going to the doctor a customer who has walked into a store is looking to fix an issue E.g. a customer is not shopping for a drill machine but needs a hole somewhere. It is this problem which has forced a tool purchase. Much like doctors, sales representatives should be able to quickly diagnose the underlying problem of the customer.

The real representative of any brand is the sales person interacting with the customer in the store. A sales person is ultimately responsible for showcasing and demonstrating the product and convincing the customer of the its features and their benefits.

Now imagine a scenario where the sales person himself is unaware of the product’s features and utility. Any potential customer would like to know the specifications, function or purpose of the product before considering purchase. With the sales person being unable to provide the answers, the prospect will quickly lose interest in the product and ultimately will lose confidence in the brand.

Staff courteousness is one of the crucial elements which are observed in mystery shopping while assessing in-store manpower. Courtesy can be defined as “using accepted, appropriate or exceptional manners, as interpreted from the consumer’s perspective to meet or exceed the expectations of the customer.”

Courtesy among individuals and organizations has long been recognized in all major societies of the world as a sign of respect and civility. Even among parties with different points of view it sets a tone of mutual respect with which further productive dialog and successful outcomes may be achieved. In all its forms and styles, courteous behavior, has been hailed by everyone as a foundation of good manners and goodwill­ from which all other good things may follow.

Brands spend a significant amount of time, effort and money drawing up the perfect customer experience for their customers.  The retail environment gives them the canvas to showcase their brand and products and at the same time paint the picture they want on what the brand stands for; the value of their products/ service; how they feel about their customers and what it would mean to own a product of their brand. 

Back in 2007 when we started Channelplay, one of our first projects was an In-Store Promoter Program for Nokia. Back then, Nokia was the giant of the industry with over 70% market share in GSM phones, and the highest retail penetration among all brands. On our market visits, when we’d walk down say MI road or Ganpati Plaza in Jaipur, there’d probably be 20 shops within a 500-meter distance selling Nokia phones. The phone was already a commodity, selling on experience has always been complex, and the easiest lever that retailers had for making a sale was price.