Paying attention lab

STANFORD UNIVERSITY CREATIVITY COURSEON-LINESIX RETAIL OUTLETS IN EDMONTON AB CANADA

PAYING ATTENTION – ARE YOU?A. Hardin

Retail Outlet Summary

• Bigbox Supermarket

• Bigbox Automotive

• Medium Sized Drug Mart

• Health Food Outlet

• Bigbox Book Store

• Bigbox IT Outlet

Bigbox Supermarket

Before Entry

INSIGHTS

• Huge monolithic single-colour building

• Exterior bulk marketing bins

• One-way Automated exit doors on the left

• Width of parking stalls too narrow

• Massive parking lot – congestion in parking lanes

• Exterior carte storage contributes to congestion

• No designated drop-off / pick-up close to entry / exit

HIDDEN OPPORTUNITIES

• Exterior walls provide opportunity for fixed or seasonal murals

• Improve exterior seasonal markets to improve visibility and access

• Widen parking stalls

• Increase width of parking lanes

• Separate carte storage and parking

• Provide designated drop-off / pickup areas

Environment

INSIGHTS

• Colour scheme is very bland and uninviting both outside and inside – clean

• Ceiling is about 2x as high as needed

• Somewhat noisy with no music and only periodic PA announcements

• Lighting is very good in all areas

• Temperature inside is comfort-able

• Large bank of cashiers across whole left front of building / Aisles at entry to cashiers is often very crowded and congested

• Produce and bulk food areas - floors are often quite dirty

• Floors are tile on concrete

• There is no distinctive unpleasant odor / nor a pleasant one – neutral

• Security is visible at entry and exit


• Use a warmer more comforting colour scheme

• Ceiling could be reduced but not too much to avoid increasing noise levels

• Noise – use sound deadening panels on walls and as decorative hang-down panels

• Increase spacing between start of cashier bays and end of display counter rows

Personnel

INSIGHTS

• Cashiers generally friendly when spoken to but not very warm in welcoming each customer,

• No script apparent• Floor staff generally non-

communicative and not warm in responding to questions

• The ratio of visible staff to customers is about 50::1

• There is a disproportionate number of Asian immigrants

• Staff are primarily women


• Train the cashiers to use eye contact and a more friendly greeting / parting script

• Floor staff are too task oriented, provide training an standard for customer contact

• Staff to customer ratio is about right, could use more in some high demand areas

• Hire staff equitably in terms of salaries and local population make-up

Products

INSIGHTS• First products - manufactured or produce

specials localized at entry• Sale items are Id’d by coloured mark-

down tags throughout• Products Arranged by function / sub-

function / manufacturer• Free samples / demonstrations on special

occasions / seasonal• There is no clear pattern in products set at

eye level• Meats and Dairy products are the least

accessible in terms of distance from entry• Most Expensive located nearest high

traffic areas and least expensive in middle of isles

• Many Impulse items at entry to cashier station


• Reduce clutter at entry and provide better long-range view into store

• Increased visibility of sale items to speed close-out of residual / sale products

• Re-examine product shelving strategy

• Make product locations easier to identify

Customers

INSIGHTS

• Majority of customer, 50%+ are shopping alone

• Remainder are shopping with spouse or children

• Approximately 30% men and 70% women• Yes, same path and directions as part of

the store design, mainly towards clothing, toiletries, over-the-counter drugstore area

• Average shopping time est. 30 – 45 minutes

• Customers do touch and pick up products and it is not discouraged

• Most Customers are mission shopping• About 95% of shoppers buy 1 or more

products, usually much more


• Improve eye-contact and verbal communication from staff to customers

• Hire more staff who have good English communications skills

• Improve customer space and ease of movements

Other Observations

INSIGHTS

• This chain of stores seems too oriented towards throughput and not enough to customer satisfaction

• The chain is too oriented to functionality and not enough to the ‘pleasure of shopping’

• Uncleanliness may lead to customer illnesses and store shut-downs or reputation loss


• Increase customer satisfaction while maintaining throughput

• Better quality control around cleanliness standards and management

Outlet Summary

INSIGHTS

• A destination shopping centre for people seeking price over shopping experience

• Prices are generally very good and quality of items is mostly satisfactory


• Work on improved customer shopping enjoyment

Bigbox Automotive

Before Entry

INSIGHTS

• Bright inviting exterior with good but simple graphic arts approach

• Main Company logo in large, about 3 ft. high, letters in simple font design

• Range of products display in horizontal ‘wordle’ type design – very effective

• Welcoming, uninhibited main entry and exit

• Small, somewhat restricted entry to auto repair area


•

Environment

INSIGHTS

• Colour scheme is maple leaf red on a slight off-white background.

• Graphics look appealing and inviting• Floor - tile on concrete / functional, clean.• Moderate height, no feeling of a cavern.• Pleasantly bright and not too noisy.• Over-crowded - too much merchandise• Comfortable temperature no odor• There are two types of check-out, self

checkout and cashier near main entry exit.• There is no visible human security• Crowdedness doesn’t invite long stays.• The merchandise is devalued by the

crowded appearance.


• Concern or awareness of the need for customer safety and well being may not be as high as it should be.

• Maintain more merchandise in off-site storage

• More spacing between shelving units to allow better view of merchandise

• Improve staff contact with customers

• Improve directional signage at entry to speed customer reaching targets products

Personnel

INSIGHTS

• Staff contact with customers outside of Auto-motive are is very poor / customer initiated

• No Script• Asian immigrant staff have

arrogant attitude towards non-Asians

• Staff provide good information when questioned.

• Automotive staff friendly, scripted and helpful


• Improve welcoming by stationing employee at entrance to welcome and direct and make customers aware of specials

• Provide all staff with cultural awareness training

Products

INSIGHTS

• Products offered cover a wide range of prices and qualities, perhaps too many

• Sale items generally located within their product zone

• Products are arranged by function and then by manufacturer

• Least accessible are home-handyman and sporting goods

• Most accessible are seasonal goods


• Decrease number of competing products and improve ease of finding desired products

• Place high-value sale items close to entry/exit areas

• Place high-demand seasonal items farther from Entrance – customers more willing to search them out

Customers

INSIGHTS

• Customers are mainly men with strong do it yourself abilities and skills and interests in sports and wilderness activities

• Second tier customers are families with homes and children looking for mid-ranged price products

• 15-20 minutes in-store• Yes Products are mostly

reachable by customers and they do touch and examine


• Change marketing to appeal more to young adults with cash and interests in cars, sports and wilderness

• Improve customer satisfaction by increasing ease of finding desired products

Other Observations

INSIGHTS

• Main-stay of business was automotive after-sales parts and consumable supplies

• Strategy has shifted to broader range of DIY, sorts and outdoor interests

• Mainly male oriented• Some Franchisees may

damage brand name


• Franchise holder / owner should pay more attention to brand management

• Consider use of evolutionary algorithms for product development strategy

Medium Sized Drug Mart

Before Entry

INSIGHTS

• Parking is good• Access is good• Colour scheme and

presentation of brand name is good / very simple

• Brand name is too high up to catch distant customers

• Font all Caps, simple std, about 4 ft. high Blue on White


• Add additional brand naming at eye level near parking areas.

• Entry is too flat, provide inset alcove to make people feel included

Environment

INSIGHTS

• Excellent lighting overall, subdued in multi-media area

• Aisles with lots of room to view merchandise and giving feeling of space, no crowding

• Ceiling very high but width and depth compensate by being ‘more human’

• No music and noise level acceptable

• Merchandise is not too crowded and selection of products adequate

• Cash registers / check-outs at the front

• Slight odor of hygiene products

• No visible human security but awareness of ‘security shoppers’


• IT products area too cluttered, reduce range of products

• Add seasonal music and general soothing music

• Improve ‘at entry’ directional information

Personnel

INSIGHTS

• Staff are very friendly and work to an adaptable script

• Immediate help when asked• Knowledgeable of products

and locations• Ask if added help needed

without prompting• Smiles and confident, happy• Ratio staff to customers about

1::10 when I was there mid-afternoon


• Had a question in the IT area and no one was around – add a customer is here awareness tool?

Products

INSIGHTS

• Good range of products covering all the main personal hygiene and grooming needs as well as compatible products in office and media areas.

• Some product ranges perhaps too narrow in competitors ranges.

• IT and Media area too cluttered


• Provide an opportunity for customers to easily make suggestions for added products to be considered.

• Narrow the range of IT and Media products

Customers

INSIGHTS

• On this day there were few customers and they seemed to be mostly men.

• Normally the customer base is women in the hygiene and grooming area and men in the media and IT areas,

• Customer demographics are in the 30 – 75 age range.

• This is not a youth centered outlet.


• Bus in Seniors from seniors residences

• Find draws for higher customers base throughout the day – media and IT marketing

• Get into the “apps” business on the IT/Media side.

Other Observations

INSIGHTS

• Not aware of web based ads for this org


• Move some advertising funds to web based advertising

Outlet Summary

INSIGHTS

• An excellent and enjoyable place to shop.

• Becoming complacent?


• Room for growth through web.

• Apply evolutionary algorithms for development strategy

Health Food Outlet

Before Entry

INSIGHTS

• Small sized facility• Appearance generally ok

but not strong attractor• Does not generate

confidence


• Provide more space for display and customer browsing

• Use bolder outside and inside branding

Environment

INSIGHTS

• Very large range of products and some what cluttered

• Choices not always clear• Clean and not noisy• Displays too close to each

other and functional separation not clear


• Improve display organization by function and type with improved descriptions

• More space

Personnel

INSIGHTS

• Well presented• Not working to script• General level of

friendliness not clear• Knowledgeable of products

and processes• Efficient• Task oriented


• Work on public / customer interaction skills through training

• Better staff selection processes to seek out customer focused staff

Products

INSIGHTS

• Wide ranges of products mainly in low volume packaging

• Confusing selection process for poorly informed customers

• Visible external movement of possibly contaminated products through back doors


• On-floor assistance for customers

• Standards for receipt / dispatch of raw materials and products

Customers

INSIGHTS

• People with awareness or interests in making better choices in foods

• Generally reasonably affluent and well educated

• Not always well informed on health-food products


• Provide educational group seminars and individual coaching

Other Observations

INSIGHTS

• Health food outlets do not, in general, instill confidence in new customers


• Work on credibility through improved branding tools

Bigbox Book Store

Before Entry

INSIGHTS

• Modern brown brick façade• Covered entry with small

inner foyer• Large windows across

outer wall to left of entry giving good view of open layout of shelves and displays

• Left side of building has entry to an up-scale coffee shop


• Use of ‘wordle’ type listing of main headings of products and wares would add to inviting exterior presence

Environment

INSIGHTS

• Bright well-lit single room space

• Top of displays at about 5.5 ft.

• Well-spaced allowing browsing / people

• Partially carpeted floors to reduce noise

• Colours are off-white, shelving is dark brown

• Quiet conducive to reading / browsing

• A lot of products displayed no feeling of crowdedness

• Cashier bank - right of entry, no obstruction to entry/exit

• No human security but magnetic detector at exit

• Electronic search self-help stations available

• Inviting to stay for 30 minutes+


• More seating for longer duration browsers

Personnel

INSIGHTS

• Knowledgably, friendly, helpful• Respond quickly to requests• Ratio staff to customers about

1::10• Staff are mainly female in range of

20-50 years old• Floor staff attend to products and

customers• Check-out line periodically gets

quite long - staff respond / adapt• Staff are a very good match to

brand


• Perhaps room for small staff reduction

Products

INSIGHTS

• Hard cover, magazines, paper prods.

• Dedicated Children’s area

• Seating / coffee area at boundary

between store and coffee shop with fire-

place

• Separate Non-fiction / fiction / self-help

areas

• Comprehensive range of products

• Dedicated new products at entry

• Reduced sale items displays between

coffee shop and main displays


• Add at-entry directional signage

• Need to move to electronic reader products – hardware, software, publications

Customers

INSIGHTS

• Customers enter store mostly alone

• Couples and larger split up for individual browsing and shopping

• Secure children’s area• Customers are an even mix

of males and females• Demographics are primarily

in the 30 years+ range


• Provide products that attract the young affluent age groups

• More child centered activities

• Provide book club meeting centre

Other Observations

INSIGHTS

• Hardcopy books are under a lot of pressure from electronic media


• Need to move to electronic based media, products and services

Outlet Summary

INSIGHTS

• An excellent, warm, friendly and current shopping environment and experience


• Need to be rapidly moving towards greater emphasis on e-media

• What role might evolutionary algorithms play in this business industry?

• Would evolutionary innovation algorithms help here?

Bigbox IT / MEDIA Outlet

Before Entry

INSIGHTS

• Large standard font name in red caps on 3-storey high blue wall.

• Entry is simple with exit separated

• Covered foyer• Techie service labeled

separately


• Use of ;wordle’ style horizontal panel would add to product slate awareness

• Add a panel that invites older non-techy people in

Environment

INSIGHTS

• Lots of open space at the entry

• Long sight-lines to ID products of interest

• Get to general area quickly but detailed area more difficult

• Subdued atmosphere, clean, very techie


• Aisles radiating out from front entry

• More signage at detailed level

• Us aps to direct customers via in-store GPS

Personnel

INSIGHTS

• Standard uniforms• Generally friendly and

seeking to help• Knowledgeable• Sought out better price for

application product for me• Provided simple service at

no cost


• Route to cashiers not fully obvious – label better

Products

INSIGHTS

• Good range of products, not overwhelming in number or function

• Well presented, easy to browse

• Some cross-product distractions


• Provide better product selection criteria for the non-techie

Customers

INSIGHTS

• Mainly males in the range of 18-30

• Technologically aware• Ratio of staff to customers

in normal sales periods about 1::10


• Increase customer base by providing free training and product awareness for non-techies in the 40+ age group

• Include free at-home support for older people.

Other Observations

INSIGHTS

• Facility too large for sales volumes?


•

Outlet Summary

INSIGHTS

• Popular with market segment and seen as the place to go to for IT and media products.

•

OVERALL SUMMARY

• There is room for more traditional outlets to use Aps and IT tools to increase customer satisfaction

• Introduce evolutionary product algorithms

Business

Paying attention lab