Have you ever walked into a store, knowing exactly what you need, needing it in a hurry, not knowing where to look and asked for assistance? Of course you have. Now count how many times you have received an “Over the Top” experience. 

I’ve heard “you can check over there”. Sometimes it’s, “I’m new, sorry I don’t really know”, or maybe your given an asile number, if you are lucky.

When was the last time someone actually walked you to the location, picked up the item, made sure it was what you had in mind, smiled and handed it to?

I have to tell you about CJ Banks. A few weeks ago while gift shopping I happened across CJ Banks, right away I was greeted upon entering the store and asked if I needed assistance. I was helped with my selection and the item was carried to the service desk . My gift was gently folded and placed in tissue paper, a gold CJ Banks sticker was placed on top and then placed in a sturdy CJ Banks shopping bag. The receipt was nicely folded and handed to me with a smile.

Now here’s where it gets better. This busy employee, actually took the time and energy to walk out from behind the counter, place the shopping bag in my hand and thank me for my business. Needless to say I left shocked, smiling and  looking back, I wanted to remember her face, better yet I wanted to take her to lunch. I felt special! 

Over the Top, two days later in the mail, I received a personal hand written card, ”thank you for shopping at CJ Banks, It was my pleasure serving you” signed by Linda.  Did it leave a lasting impression, YOU BET! Will I shop there again, YOU BET! 

I believe it starts at the top, it’s a corporate philosophy, it should be business as usual and it’s priceless!

Another example; read how The Ritz-Carlton’s Mystique relies primarily on it’s 35,000 employees to create that ”unique and memorable” experience for all their guests.

Link to BusinessWeek article by Carine Gallo   

Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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Norman Camera, a close-knit, family-run enterprise that opened its doors in 1957 and is celebrating its 50th anniversary, earned the honor in large measure because it exemplifies a successful business model that focuses on those things that camera specialty stores can do best—cultivate a loyal clientele through topnotch customer service.

Link to article in recent PhotoReporter 

Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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In business, you always need to know what your competitors are doing. To survive you must perform competitive intelligence activities and monitor the broader market for new developments that could affect your company, your products and brands, suppliers and distributors.

Tracking your competitors is the only way to make sure you are thwarting threats, taking advantage of opportunities, marketing effectively, and, ultimately, winning in the marketplace. By performing competitive intelligence, you will significantly increase your margins and profitability.

There is one resource that’s often underutilized in this regard: your competitors’ Web sites.

Link to article by Srikanth Chari at ManageSmarter.com

Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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Predictions of a weak holiday shopping season have led the big department stores to slash prices and stretch their advertising budgets. But most small retailers, which cannot afford either the price cuts or the expensive advertising, are doing something else this year: making a virtue of their size.

Read Complete Story by Anne Field, NY Times (free,  quick registry)

Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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Ever wonder where your next customer will come from? Try BestBlogs.com or ThisNext.com. It seems these are just a few sites that “savvy clickers” are checking out before their next big purchase. Researching products on sites like these are leveling the playing field and sometimes becoming the deciding factor between purchasing from one of the “Big Box Stores” or a neat new Mom and Pop shop.

Fact: Did you know; to date their are over 20 million blogs and a new one is started every 5.8 seconds. People are talking, are you listening? 

Read entire story by Bob Tedeschi, The New York Times 

Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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