Showrooming Makes For Retail Innovation!

Given all of the talk about Showrooming and how it spells the end of the brick-and-mortar retail experience, I think you'll enjoy reading...

Showrooming Precipitates Retail Business Innovation

Let me know what you think!

Best,

C.B.

11 Ideas for Connecting With Customers....

How do you connect with customers?

Here are ideas I came across...

11 Ideas for Connecting With Customers - Not All Based on Technology!

I'd love to hear what you think!

Best,

C.B.

Multitasking & Getting More Customers

I think you will enjoy this article about the critical art of juggling, and how to connect with customers:

3 Steps For Getting More Customers While Juggling

I'd love to hear your reactions.

Best,

C.B.

World Class Great Customer Experience at Pike Place Fish Market

Knowing now what I've learned about creating remarkable customer experiences, I wish I could go back to the Pike Place Market to observe world class great in action!  In the meantime, you may enjoy this article:

The Pike Place Fish Market Customer Experience: World Class Great!

Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Redefining the Retail Experience: 3 Examples

I found these three examples of retailers redefining the retail experience fascinating:

3 Retailers Redefine Retail Experience: NRF 'This Is Retail' Contest

I'd love to hear your reactions.

Thanks for reading.

Best,

C.B.

Avoid "Paradox of Choice" to Connect With Customers

You may enjoy the following article:

Avoiding 'Paradox of Choice' When Connecting With Customers

As always, thank you for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Tips for Getting More Customers, Inspired by Crocs

Are you customers of Crocs? I am and I love receiving their emails. They stop me in my tracks whether I'm in the market to buy shoes or not. They exude a strong personal touch that makes me want to stay connected with them.

Read my post to learn more:

Customers Are People: Tips For Getting More Customers!

Then, let me know what you think.

Best,

C.B.

Ecommerce Best Practices and the Online Retail Experience

I recently researched eCommerce best practices and detail them in the following blog article:

The Online Retail Experience: Ecommerce Best Practices

Have you come across best practices not covered here? Do let me know!

Thanks for reading.

Best,

C.B.

Happy Customers = Loyal Customers

For inspiration about customers, the customer experience and building loyalty, I recommend learning about 'Happy Customers Everywhere', the latest book by Columbia Business School's Bernd Schmitt, by visiting the following blog article interview:

Happiness and Customer Experience: Interview with Bernd Schmitt

How do you bring happiness to your customers?

Thanks for reading.

Best,

C.B.

JetBlue Airline and the Customer Experience

I had my first JetBlue experience traveling to/from Coverings 2012 in Orlando, Florida. It was memorable! In a good way!

Here is my summary:

JetBlue Reinvents Airline Customer Experience

Have you flown JetBlue? What did you think? Have you come across other examples of airlines reinventing the customer experience?

Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Tips for Connecting With Customers

Do you have time-tested tips for connecting with customers? I'd love to hear about them.

Here are some I gathered while at Surfaces:

Connecting With Customers: 4 Tips Based on Surfaces Highlights

Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

The Shoe Lovers' Retail Experience: DSW

Are you familiar with DSW, also known as Designer Show Warehouse? It is 100% focused on shoe lovers. In the following article, I explore the DSW shoe lover retail experience:

DSW: a Retail Experience for Shoe Lovers

I'd love to hear your thoughts on DSW and the article.

Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Schmitt on Happiness and the Customer Experience

If you are as intrigued as I am with the notion of 'happy customers', you'll enjoy this interview with Columbia Business School professor and customer experience expert Bernd Schmitt:

Happiness and Customer Experience: Interview with Bernd Schmitt

[If you are in NYC on 5/2/12, you can learn more by attending the One Happy Book Launch Columbia Business School Alumni Club of New York event.]

Best,

C.B.

Zappos Online: Powered by Customers!

My latest blog article explores Zappos Online. There, too, customers are at the forefront!

I invite you to read and share your comments.

Zappos' Online Retail Experience: Powered By Customers

Thanks! 

Best,

C.B.

How To Articulate Customer Expectations: Sandy Smith

If you feel strongly about delivering a Starbucks-like experience, you will enjoy Sandy Smith's breakdown of seven customer expectations. They will get you thinking and anticipating how to delight customers.

Simple click on the link to read the article:

Getting More Customers By Articulating Expectations: Sandy Smith

Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Design, Trends, Customer Experience: Wisdom from Cheryl Durst

If you enjoy reading about trends, and then thinking how they may affect the future, you'll enjoy this article.

Designing Customer Experience: IIDA's Cheryl Durst Talks Trends

Let me know what you think!

Best,

C.B.

Best Business Marketing Blogs of 2012

Do check out my latest blog article on Flooring The Consumer! Not only does it include some amazing business marketing blog resources, but....


Best Business Marketing Blogs of 2012 Include Flooring The Consumer!


Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Ace Hardware on Customer Loyalty: 3 Lessons

I do love coming across examples of retailers that focus on customers in really smart ways. In this recent article, I share with you perspective from Ace Hardware.

Please read the full article by clicking on

Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction: 3 Lessons From Ace Hardware

Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Unsolicited Retail Communications Via Text or Email

Have you been duped into receiving unsolicited emails or -worse yet - text messages? Here is my rant on that topic and why opting-in is the way to go:

Get More Customers? Offer Opt-in Email, Text Messages

Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Thoughtfulness in the Retail Experience: Zipcar, Nufloors Coquitlam

Whenever I come across signs of thoughtfulness in the retail experience, I appreciate it. In this article, I share with you examples from Zipcar [thank you, Gary Petersen!] and Nufloors Coquitlam in British Columbia [thank you, Cynthia Dean!].

You may read the article by clicking on the link:

What Goes Into a Thoughtful Retail Experience?

Let me know what examples you've come across in your retail travels that have caught your attention.

Let me know, too, how you demonstrate thoughtfulness in your business?

Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Does 'Green' Feel Good? 5 Tips

Do you celebrate 'green' or are you skeptical? Here are 5 tips for ensuring that green feels good to you and your customers:

Sustainability and Flooring Marketing: 'Green Should Feel Good'

Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Retail Experience in the News: Link for Updates!

If you are looking for my weekly updates on Retail Experience in the News, you will find them on the Simple Marketing Now website.

More specifically, click on Retail Experience in the News on Flooring The Consumer.

Any questions or observations, please let me know.

Thanks for reading!

Best,

C.B.

Uniqlo's Retail Experience Offers 2 Business Marketing Ideas

I love coming across new retail experience examples, particularly when they offer ideas for reconsidering the tried and true... This latest blog article is inspired by Uniqlo which recently opened two stores in NYC, in addition to its SoHo store: on 5th Avenue and on 34th Street.

To read the article, click on...

Two Small Business Marketing Ideas From Uniqlo

Comments welcome!

Thanks for reading.

Best,

C.B.

How to Use eMail to Not Generate Retail Business!

Here is my latest post inspired by the onslaught of email messages I received from retailers over the holidays. Were you in the same boat? What did you think of the experience?

Check out How Not To Get More Business: 7 eMail Retail Experience Horrors! and let me know what you think... and what you would add to the list!

Thanks for reading.

Best,

C.B.

Megabus Inspired Customer Experience Musts!

Happy New Year 2012!

My newest post was inspired by my holiday travels to Washington, DC.  The article is titled MegaBus Customer Service Experience: Communication Matters and refers to three recommendations for ensuring a memorable customer experience.

I welcome your comments.

Best,

C.B.