I spend a considerable amount of time at trade shows. I am always excited to see friends, clients and new brands that are coming out with innovative products and old brands who are the staples of retail.
The energy of the trade show is always exciting, akin to shopping in an over-glorified retail space with miles of products representing an entire industry. I love to catch those sneak-peeks at what’s to come in the future—innovations that will make hiking, riding or running more enjoyable for the consumer—but trade shows are primarily about community and connection. Of course each community is different, but that sense of connection is the same. It’s here that businesses build their relationships and reputations.
Like many others, I have a few brands that I either love as a consumer, follow because of their growth or am curious about in regards to their next innovation. My natural curiosity gets the best of me and I seek out those top brands and visit their booths first.
Enter: kid in candy store.
Unfortunately, at a recent trade show, my enthusiasm for these brands was not mirrored. In fact, one booth blocked me from entering the “secret section” because I wasn’t representing a relevant retailer. Another brand met my question with an eye roll and the kind of attitude I expect from my 16-year-old daughter, not an adult.
Couldn't agree more. This is why I love customer feedback to help figure out how a team is delivering an authentic caring experience that customers will find irresistible. I have been using Get Five Stars on all my client sites and it has helped identify several "opportunities for improvement".
Thanks Noah! We would love to hear how you have resolved an "opportunity for improvement"
We found that in one shop in particular, the review management tool surfaced a key employee that offering up suboptimal customer service that left the customer frustrated and not likely to return.
I shared the feedback with my client, The Shop's Owner, and he was able to present the feedback to his employee in a way that helped him see how important it was to treat everyone authentically amazing, and not just the cyclocross racers that he was pals with.
We now monitor that specific shop's feedback carefully, and encourage the employees read the feedback too so that when we talk about revenue goals they'll have a clearer understanding of how a customer's experience determines whether they return.
This is great Noah! Thank you so much for this great example.