A Monday Series
I took a long drive along the East Coast on Saturday, and noticed that a few flirtatious trees are turning color already, whispering that autumn is nearly here. Today, my kid goes back to school. If the summer heat still calls you as it does me, saying, where did all the time go? remember that some of those dog days were wisely used to:
and Log In to the online Experience you offer your customers.
If you’re burnt-out, antsy, and need to revitalize your attitude as much as your business, this is the series for you. Experience Design for beach-dreaming business owners comes to your summer Mondays.
Summer Is a Great Time to Save With Quality Cheats Your Customers Won’t Mind
Time to get off the computer, and have a look around your place—if you’re a startup or an expanding small business owner, the sweetest music this summer is the sound of saving money on your interiors without putting a dent in your Customer Experience.
Here are my top 3 cheats—watch out, you’ll be tempted to spend too much!
1. Lighting fixtures
Don’t get “cheap and ugly.” Get “industrial and minimalist,” and call it a design decision. Savings: 50% or more.
BUT… Have as much lighting as possible, especially natural lighting.
2. Office furniture anywhere customers won’t meet with you
Tables, desks, and shelving are for using, not impressing, when you’re a startup business or small business owner. Go used. Go utilitarian.
BUT… Treat your staff to the best seating you can afford—even better than clients get—they’ve got to sit all day every day and love it.
3. Storage
Here’s where you go cheap and ugly. Save money for where it shows!
BUT… If it bugs you, let your more creative staff members loose for an evening of faux painting the filing cabinets and kitchen cabinets.
Where Quality Counts: Skimp at Your Own Risk!
1. Cleaning
Spotless is worth more than any other Customer Experience improvement, and with great lighting it will show even more.
2. Anything customers will feel
The sense of touch is a large part of purchasing decisions.
3. Seating
Though staff deserves the best, even in public areas this is often neglected. You need—more, sturdier, more comfortable, better looking. A fresh coat of paint or stain and a covering with fabric that’s from this millennium will do wonders for sturdy seats from days gone by.
4–28. More quality details you don’t want to miss.
What would you add? Where else can we cheat on quality without affecting Customer Experience?
Grow and be well,
Kelly Erickson
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25 August 2008, 2:09 pm
Kelly,
I gotta say I especially like the - let the staff have their way with creative design on stuff the customers won’t see.
I don’t think we can say enough to business owners about the customer service attitude a team (staff) member will have if they feel connected to the business from more than a paycheck. So a “cheap’ way, or a “cheat” way is definitely to use the summer to “perk” up the team, and in turn, they will perk up the fall profits
25 August 2008, 3:44 pm
Hey, Harmony,
Yes, absolutely. A lot of companies talk about their “team” but it’s a fairly empty concept, shoved on employees from above. There is nothing like a little ownership to make staff feel like they contribute to your success.
One of my early jobs was as a buyer for a home improvement center. One day they tapped me to co-author their environmental initiatives—using employee input, for employees to use—stuff the customer would never see. Naturally I loved it but so did everybody who got to contribute, and their excitement made those pilot initiatives much more successful.
Thanks for commenting, and sorry it took me a little while to get back to the computer to moderate for your new contact info.
Regards,
Kelly
25 August 2008, 5:15 pm
Get rid of hand-written “Out of Order” (and related) signs!
In this day and age, it takes as much time to type it into a computer and hit print — it looks so much more professional! While you’re at it, make the sign a bit friendlier, perhaps a “Sorry, Out of Order (but we’re working on it!)”
And then, of course, work on it as fast as possible.
~Graham
25 August 2008, 8:28 pm
LOL! Never even noticed I had moved on to an old post! It was a good one anyways! So, here again with my ‘get rid of the 1-ply toilet paper’ suggestion. Geeesh, talk about treating your customers like crap! Sorry for the pun!
25 August 2008, 9:39 pm
Graham,
That’s a nice addition to quality details that do count. (Although…) I’d rather they mean it than that they print it well!
Lion,
I’m smooth that way. Links just float you into the past gently around here! (That post is still one of the most-read at MCE, though oddly you are the first commenter.)
And yes, that is an excellent addition to the “please don’t cheat on this one” list.
Regards,
Kelly
25 August 2008, 10:30 pm
Kelly, these are great suggestions. With the proliferation of green project design, there are also neat projects the staff can take on that will be fun, functional and can be shared with clients. I have seen trash cans made from recycled materials that were as much pop art (pun intended) as functional.
Karen
Karen Swim’s last blog post…WordPress Stuck in HTML Edit Mode
25 August 2008, 10:41 pm
Karen,
I was just reading your waaah to Friar literally two seconds ago. What a small world.
An excellent point. There are lots of ways to get staff proudly involved and show their work off, creating a community feeling between them and the customers. Luckily, “green” can make being cheap, seem chic!
Regards,
Kelly
25 August 2008, 10:58 pm
Kelly, that’s too funny! It is totally hysterical to me that what was once trash is now totally trendy because it’s green. Although, yay for saving the environment and all. Cheap and chic is a good combination.
26 August 2008, 1:56 am
Excellent stuff. I love the balance you work on with all your points, especially things like the seating. Thanks!
26 August 2008, 6:46 am
Chris,
I learned that lesson long ago. Skimp almost anywhere but the seating, because the truth is if you own a small business, your staff are your first customers. If they’re not happy, nobody’s going to be happy. It’s a subject that’s close to my… heart.
Welcome to Maximum Customer Experience, and thanks for your comment!
Regards,
Kelly
26 August 2008, 6:49 am
Karen,
Yes. I was thinking after I commented to Harmony above, about how we had this big long name for those environmental issues back when I did that project. Nowadays—call it “green” and everybody’s immediately excited (and management sees dollar signs). Then it was like pulling teeth.
Later,
Kelly
26 August 2008, 11:54 am
Sigh, I noticed the leaves turning colour as well. I sure hope they stay until Canadian Thanksgiving. My brother will be visiting with his Spanish partner, and I hope Raul gets to see the stunning fall colours.
Dang, I did it again, and drifted off on a tangent. Okay, there is a restaurant the gang and I always go to from work. It’s in a rec centre, so we go in the back door because that is closest entrance to us. The garbage from the outside bins oozes into the back hallway that the last time we went, we actually all gagged. No word of a lie!!!! We weren’t exactly hungry by the time we got to the restaurant.
26 August 2008, 3:37 pm
“Pleasant surprises. ” That is my favorite on your list. As long as all else is up to Kelly standards, it can be that little something , something , that makes me want to go back.
26 August 2008, 3:52 pm
Panther,
As I left the not-yet-frozen North, lamenting the red-tinged sugar maples, my Dad said, “Don’t worry, there are always a few in a hurry. Come back two weeks into October and you’ll be thrilled.”
I lived most of my life in northerly places but when you’re down here in the midAtlantic for a while, folks worry you’ve forgotten everything you knew, and feel the need to speak slowly to you about stuff like fall leaves and *gasp* snow. (We get a bit but boy, I miss the real deal!)
You being a bit more northerly still, I’d say a few will have fallen by then but you’ll still have a blaze for Alex and Raul, don’t you think?
I know how to drift with a good tangent, particularly one I started.
The rec centre should either make it very clear that the back door is not for you, as in lock it, or do something about that. Heck, not even employees should be required to endure that. Get better lids for your bins, people.
Wait, does the garbage ooze or its smell? I hope you just meant the smell. Otherwise, point them to this post, where I shall officially say… eeew. Call me, Panther’s after-work place. We’ll work on your Experience Design.
(Thanks very much for the award, I’m so flattered—post coming up later this week about that!)
Until later,
Kelly
26 August 2008, 4:00 pm
Janice,
Hahaha—”up to Kelly standards.” Yes, if the whole world went to work The Kelly Way….
Watch out, I’ll get an ego like Monsieur Chartrand’s, LOL.
Seriously, that is it. Satisfy the needs, and then add delight—provide tweaks so I remember you among all the places that can’t be bothered. The VisionPoints Way.
Regards,
Kelly
26 August 2008, 4:15 pm
What is that show about that nanny? I could see Kelly going about, tut tut, white glove wiping off the business smudges….LOL.
Seriously, I like businesses that do say, yes we know you have choices, here, choose us, in a nifty don’t have to but we do, kind of way. To me it’s a lot like that part where they ( you know the infamous they) say, ask for the business. Even if that nifty way is a service or a special wrap they put on their package. It can even be no frills, but incredibly valuable. What isn’t there kind of stuff too.
Maybe that passage about Nordstrom’s employees warming up clients cars is “sticking” with me.
27 August 2008, 3:48 pm
Hi Kelly, this is my first visit too your blog and i would say i loved this post of yours. Just added you to my rss reader.
Keep posting!
flooring’s last blog post…Basement Flooring: Form and Patterns
27 August 2008, 4:08 pm
Dear Flooring,
Thanks for reading!
Regards,
Kelly
27 August 2008, 4:11 pm
Janice,
It will never be cold enough here for me to need my car warmed up after shopping. More’s the pity.
Local Nordstrom’s could have a tut tut for snootiness. I mean, I know I’m only looking at the sales racks, but the money’s still green… *sigh*
Later,
Kelly