Super market is expensive – Let’s make a value added out of the service

Buying groceries is getting more and more expensive. We know, this can’t be avoided, is not their fault if everything else is expensive as well. However, there is a minimum to consider when you are choosing a supermarket to spend your money in:

-        The cashier should look at you in the eye at least one time,

-        The cashier should say hello (as if he or she mean it),

-        The cashier should smile (not needed but nice to have),

-        The cashier should WAIT until the last client finished picking up his or her stuff, before starting passing the next client’s groceries,

-        The cashier should NOT be discussing with colleagues about their personal lives when you are being served, makes you feel like you are invisible to them.

So, a final advice to super markets: Is not just because you are the cheapest one, or the closest one that you will preserve your clients. 

Please take care of your hair before going on TV!

Thank you!

Maintenance

Maintenance is a strategy. The place where people visit to buy stuff should be adequate and adapted. For example, new establishments are concern of including platforms, bathrooms and access to handicap people, strollers and other special usages. The cleaning of the place is also important for visitors, who will NOT hesitate in going elsewhere if the place is not proper enough for their standards. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you have a roof problem… fix it! BEFORE CLIENTS NOTICE. 

The “extra” service

Some stores include gift wrapping as part of their service. This kind of strategy gives the idea that you are well served not only at the moment you pay, but afterwards. It is a very good example of a “nice to have” in a store; that opens bridge to a “Please visit us again soon!”

However, is it really a good thing when presents are wrapped like this? … Really? 

Final result, 

The green strategy

Many concerns about environmental issues and preservation of our nature and fauna have driven companies to adapt their products to non-toxic, non-destructive, recyclable and cooperative with nature. Companies have been applying this strategy for a moment now. Targeting those who are concerned about the environment, they create products that will satisfy both the need of consumers and the preservation of nature.

Normally, the benefit will come to both… companies that will make revenue, and also consumers that will satisfy their needs without polluting. Also, the ecologic fabrication of products reduces cost to the company (who of course, does not make every effort for money… they are also concerned by environmental issues). Normally the ecologic product comes in a lower quality package that allows it to be accessible at a lower price.

So, what about this case: if you buy this product in a plastic solid bottle you pay it cheaper, but you are not being kind to nature… you may be responsible and buy the ecologic presentation, but to be kind to nature you will have to pay more (for the exact same product).

Right picture Ariel actilift cold wash 9,02 (27 doses) = 0.33 cents

Left picture Ariel actilift cold wash ecologic pack 8,78 (20 doses) = 0.43 cents

How it comes that the responsibility of preserving earth is just for consumers and not companies? Of course, you are the one worried about contaminating earth, you should pay more to preserve it!! We just don’t care.

Prising

A basic strategy to reduce the price of a product is to offer the costumer to buy several at the same time. This is not an innovation! For example, everyone knows that by buying a Coca-Cola® six pack you spend less than if you buy just one bottle…. This make the economic exchange interesting for the consumer (as he or she spends less money per unit) and for the company (who is capable to reduce expenses like packaging and transportation (for example), thanks to the revenue of sales in mass).  

However, in many French supermarkets (I’m living in France) this principle is commonly violated! You appreciate in many cases that the unit price is identical to the mass price,             

AND SOME TIMES THE MASS PRICE IS MORE EXPENCIVE BY UNIT!

How illogical is this!!! The good news is that French people doesn’t seem to notice.

Here is an example

One bottle (75cl) of wine « Comte de Serac » 2010 = 3,09 EUR.

A three pack (75cl each bottle) of wine « Comte de Serac » 2010 = 10,99 EUR = 3,66 EUR each bottle.

Why will you pay for the three pack??  

This is what we learned at the French Zoo.

Logistics

Logistics is part of strategic marketing. Even when you can create a separate discipline out of it (because of its big content), with a bad administration of timing vrs services every marketing strategy will be a failure. So, here is a good example for a "NOT TO DO”:

The post office of my town is dealing with big affluence of clients... (Actually not really! I know because I have been there several times… The thing is that there are always a certain amount of clients and just one or two windows open)... Anyway, they have a sign in the door announcing how busy the service is, at what time of the day (so you can choose to come at a moment of low affluence). 

The problem is that according to the schedule,  you will never get to come and find a nice quite service, just if you come Monday or Tuesday morning (which means that if you work you will get to your office late).


But here is where logistics intervene. When you see the opening schedule, here below:

You will notice that the opening times are normal and enough to provide a good service. They also are open on Saturdays (half day) great for people that work. So this can just mean that they need more people to work here! You don’t just hang the busy schedule in the door as if you are proud of it moron! You try to fix the problem. 


Anyway:  - if there is people
                - it means there is a demand (in this case it means money) 


So don’t be cheap, you can pay for an extra person, if not, then it just mean you need to rice the price (or learn some management).

BTW: I have never come to this place without spending at least one hour!

Branding

The term branding comes from the English word "brand", itself derived from the German word Brennen (burnt), meaning "mark". Originally, it consists in the creation of a mark (customized with colors, letters, pictures etc…) and mark the elements to stand out and be identifiable for customers. The branding encompasses all aspects in a company such its style, its DNA, its quality, its values, its signs, its territory of expression, its logo, reliability ... It allows you to assign a company a strong personality and a unique identity.

The Branding strategy (very common and popular in the Marketing theory) consist in setting the distinctive mark of the company or product (sometimes EVERYWHERE) to recall the attention of the people and be present in the mind of consumers. This is a method used so that consumers can find a market. A brand value ​​as one can easily observe, compare, and sensory absorb. I also has values immaterial: its history, its symbols, its mission, its associated values. All this forms brand identity.

With this purpose, the companies started to place their logo in many elements such as “the company’s cars”. They take advantage of the mobile advertisement the vehicles can provide. This is not only effective for branding, but cheaper than a banner in a public street.

So, just as a recommendation, if you are driving “the company’s car” with the expensive branding strategy on in, behave with the values your company will like you to show…

Maintenance

If you are going to provide a service to costumers (or like in this case: users), be sure that what you are saying correspond to the reality of the product, facilities, or like in this case, the common wealthy space)!!!

This elevator is suggesting that in case of emergency you should push the “STOP” Bottom. However when you look at the bottoms the “STOP” one does not exist. It is clear that the emergency announcement is more resent than the existence of the elevator itself, so the question is:

“If the owners were going to include a nice prevention announcement (and spend money on it) why didn’t they write the correct instructions?

That is what I call spending money for nothing!

Translation:

-        After closing the doors, press the button for the floor you are visiting.

-        Do not open the doors before the shutdown of the unit.

SAFETY RULES

-        Users must refrain precipitation and ensure before entering the cab of his presence on the floor (?)

-        The use of the device is allowed to unaccompanied children.

-        In the case of cabin without door, keep children away from the wall smooth.

-        Incident in the operation, use the “STOP” button and press the “tone” ....