Last week, I told you that obsessing over details was essential in allowing smaller wellness businesses to thrive vs larger competitors. Here’s the best example I’ve seen of this.
If you missed the webinar, here’s the section where I talked about this:
Well…that night I bought a new set of shelves for my closet from Container Store, and had an experience that perfectly demonstrated the point I made in the webinar.
First, some background:
Container Store offers nothing but home organization items. It’s a curated collection. You won’t find generic Rubbermaid storage bins here, or ordinary trashcans. In fact, you won’t find anything here that you can get at Walmart or Home Depot. Everything’s been chosen because it’s exceptionally useful, looks great, solves a particular organizing problem better than it’s ever been solved before.
And they specialize in solving problems – it’s very consultative. They’re not about selling you a plastic storage box or a wooden display frame. They’re about helping you store your shoes so they’re easy to see and grab without taking up a lot of space…or display your treasured collections of “stuff” in the best possible way. It’s a subtle distinction, but an important one.
The customer experience is fabulous. Best I’ve ever had in any type of business. They hire smart, interested people who really understand the problems their customers have. They’re friendly, super-knowledgeable, and just plain NICE. There’s a reason Container Store is perpetually on Fortune’s list of 100 Best Companies To Work For.
So, on with the story:
I went in about 20 minutes before they closed on a weeknight. Felt guilty, but that was when I had time to do it.
Despite it’s being nearly closing time, they instantly produced an expert in the Elfa shelves I wanted. He figured out exactly what I needed, and took time to compare war stories with me about his remodeling project. Was he in a hurry to get out of there? Nope, he clearly loved what he was doing, loved hearing about our bedroom/bathroom/closet remodeling project and sharing his experiences – loved making people’s lives better by helping them rein in their stuff.
They custom-cut one of the items I bought (even though by now it was in fact past closing time), packed everything up, walked me out and put it in my car, and I headed home at about 9:15 p.m.
The next day I got everything out of the car (prior experience has taught me not to start this kind of project at 10 p.m.!) and here’s what I had:
And here’s what’s inside the little zipper bag:
Key points:
1) Everything is branded and “presented”
The box of shelves. The tote bag they put the various hardware accessories in. The little zipper bag that held small hardware components.
Even the paper envelope that held the instructions (absolutely crystal-clear and idiot-proof, naturally) AND my receipt AND a diagram of my specific shelf layout!
In fact, if you look on the front of the tote bag, you’ll notice that the paper envelope fits in a special slot designed just for that purpose.
The entire thing is a presentation! They’re merchandising their products the way the best retailers do.
How can you apply this to your business? Think about gift certificates. Do you just hand a piece of paper or a plastic gift card to the purchaser? Or do you PRESENT the gift certificate or gift card, in packaging that reinforces everything your wellness business stands for?
2) Excess packaging? Actually, no.
You might think the two bags are overkill. They’re like that tough recycled fiber that reusable grocery bags are made of.
These bags are TOUGH. I didn’t toss them – I kept them. The zipper one is a great travel size. I’m now using the tote bag for heavier groceries.
Think about the free advertising they get as I wander around the grocery store with that bag. I have actually already had one person say “Oh, is Elfa as great as it sounds?” and the other one said “Oh, I love Elfa, isn’t it wonderful?”. Now THAT is social media, folks!
And every time I pull out my zipper bag on the road, I’ll have happy thoughts about Container Store and our tidy closet.
3) Continuous improvement
Just one quick example: I first bought Elfa shelves a few years ago, for my home office. So I could easily see improvements in the installation process this time.
For example, now the shelves come with a strip of cardboard cut to size that makes it super-easy to position components at the right points, without having to get out a tape measure. It’s a tiny change with a big impact.
4) Always time for customers
At my favorite local grocery store (Central Market, if you’re from around here), they start putting away the fresh fish 90 minutes before they close! WTF?
At my gym, no one’s around but a front-desk clerk after 8 p.m. Or on weekends or Friday night. During low-traffic periods, they don’t even have someone there who can sell you a membership!
At Home Depot, good luck finding someone who can cut something to size twenty minutes before they close.
At Container Store – no problem. The service is just as good right before closing on a slow weeknight as it is the rest of the time.
5) Problems and solutions, not products
They get the shoe problem. Different shoes for different seasons. Some have heels, some don’t. What about tall shoes, like boots? Tough to find enough space. Some folks want shoe racks that add to their decor, whether edgy or traditional – some just want function at a low price. And no one wants rickety racks. Etc.
So they help you think through all those different considerations – and only then do they recommend product. Some of which is cheap, some of which is expensive. They don’t push you to buy the pricy stuff, either. They just recommend what fits your situation, based on discussion with you.
5) All because of people
And the real reason all this goodness happens isn’t corporate policy. It’s not because someone made up a rule that said “We will continuously improve our Elfa shelving every 18 months.”
It’s because Container Store’s true competitive advantage is really how it picks people to work there – from the folks in the stores to the people in product development. They’re incredibly good at picking smart people who understand the challenges of organizing your stuff. Paying attention and caring about making customers’ lives better by helping them solve this set of problems is in their DNA.
See what I mean? Total obsession with detail. Everything from packaging to instructions to who you hire…and on and on and on. It adds up to a great customer experience that absolutely no one else can match.
Consider: how obsessed with detail is your wellness business?
1) Are your services and programs fully branded?
For example, look at the welcome kit you provide new clients. Do you even have one? Are you just handing them a bunch of loosely-stacked printouts? Or heaven forbid, faded photocopies? Is it all generic stuff from Office Depot, or branded with your corporate identity – logos, colors, taglines?
2) Are you presenting your services, or just providing them?
For example, lots of wellness businesses offer gift certificates and gift cards. But all they do is hand a piece of paper or the plastic card to the purchaser. Where’s the presentation? Put them in a gift box, in tissue, wrapped, with a bow. Include key marketing themes like taglines or inspirational messages on the box and on the presentation card. Use your corporate identity themes.
3) How do you present client-specific information?
Think about exercise routines, healthy lifestyle plans, nutritional guides – anything you personalize for clients. Think about the excitement of sliding into a new car for the first time. That’s the reaction you want!
4) Do you start with what you want – or with what the customer wants?
Are you focused on selling your highest-priced or most-profitable services and programs regardless of the customer’s specific situation? Or is your focus on finding the best answer for each client, individually?
Is the right answer for every single customer who walks through the door a monthly membership? A ten-visit card? A sixteen-week program?
Really? Every single one of them, without exception? Because that would be pretty amazing.
Or are you really forcing them to fit into what you want them do?
