Thursday, January 14, 2010

Why Retail Is Wrecking Service

What would retailers do if there were no holidays? In Canada, the average retail store has some sort of gimmicky promotion or sale right year round. Canada Day is followed by Back to School, which is followed by Thanksgiving, then Halloween running right into Christmas. Boxing Day (which runs up to the middle of January for many stores) kicks off the desperation sales followed by Valentine's Day and Easter.

How would your loved one appreciate a new filing cabinet to show your love on Valentine's Day? Nothing says "I love you" more than a wireless Internet router don't you think?

What would happen if we were to abolish all holidays for a full year forcing retailers to no longer try to gimmick their way into our wallets? Would there be a return to an Attitude of Service to capture a customer? What if we were to abolish having a sale and forced retailers to find a fair price for their goods somewhere between the regular price many pay during Christmas season and the 80% off they pay after Christmas?

What if your mechanic were to practice "retail" pricing and charged you $1000 for the service to your car and $200 for the same service on your neighbor's car - because he brought it into the garage after Christmas? Would you return again?

Not much wonder service businesses get hit up so hard by clients and potential clients to adjust their pricing. Retailers have made it impossible to believe that the price is the price.

Set your price. Stick to it. Have some integrity about your product or service and offer us tremendous service, we are willing to pay for that. You really only get to charge next to nothing if you plan to offer next to nothing.
--
Attitude w/ ATTITUDE by Kevin Burns - Corporate Attitude/Culture Strategist

Creator of the 90-Day Strategy to Greatness Culture


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