You had me at, “Would you like a grande latte?”
First Published Thursday, 19th April 2012 02:30 pm from TIBCO Software : Chris Taylor
The opinions expressed by this blogger and those providing comments are theirs alone, this does not reflect the opinion of Automated Trader or any employee thereof. Automated Trader is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by this article.
href="http://bpmforreal.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/supermarket-checkout.png">
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src="http://bpmforreal.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/supermarket-checkout.png?w=300&h=200"
alt="" width="240" height="160" />My local Safeway
isn't what I would call a very modern store. And the employees
are either high-school kids bagging groceries and collecting
carts, or middle-aged cashiers, bakers and butchers. It was a big
step forward a few years ago when I could sign for my credit card
purchase on an electronic device. This morning, I had just
finished my transaction when the store manager stepped up and
said, "Mr. Taylor?" I nodded my head slowly as I didn't think he
knew my name. I was even more surprised when he said, "My system
tells me you're one of our best customers. Would you like a
grande latte? I'd like to offer you a grande-sized drink of your
choice at our Starbucks."
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I asked
him how he knew. He pointed to his smartphone and said, "It's a
new thing we're doing to show our appreciation."
Interesting… my low-tech local grocery store has taken a
big step up in having the right data, in the right
hands, at the right moment, and with the right
context. I wasted no time getting my latte and
left the store with a big smile on my face.
Personalization
But, I have a secret… we really like shopping at
Trader Joe's. We go to Safeway because it's closer to
my house and carries some things TJ's doesn't. Recently, we've
begun gradually spending less at Safeway and more at the other
store, probably something he didn't know. The
"personal" touch he showed, however, is more
than we get elsewhere and provides something to think about
before we take our business a few miles
away.
href="http://bpmforreal.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/personalization1.png">
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src="http://bpmforreal.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/personalization1.png?w=300&h=220"
alt="" width="240" height="176" />Now, I don't think
he really knows me personally, but his systems were smart enough
to capture that a good customer just punched in their discount
code at register three and provided him with the name. The
elapsed time between identification of the client and the offer
of a token of appreciation was probably less than 10 seconds. To
redeem my drink, I simply used my code again at the Starbucks
register and watched the sale ring up as $0.00. Having that data
just a minute later would have been too late as I would have left
the store and the opportunity would have been lost.
But wait! There's
more.
href="http://bpmforreal.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/vase-of-roses.png">
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src="http://bpmforreal.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/vase-of-roses.png?w=201&h=300"
alt="" width="141" height="210" />If that was where
it ended, it would have been a nice story. The manager also
offered a big discount on roses from the flower shop. I replied
that I buy my flowers from somewhere else and he said, "Yes,
that's why I'd like you to get them here." He knew what I
didn't buy at his store. He was making an
attempt to capture my business without selling against himself. I
said that I couldn't today, but asked if it was good for next
time and he replied, "I'll put the offer on your account through
the 31st of December." I loved
it.
I probably will buy
the flowers another time.
This story is likely
to become something we all see happening at an increasing pace as
more enterprises move toward better tracking of
customer trends, improved
availability of key data, and
strategic use of mobile devices. It
isn't just about loyalty, either, as the rose offer showed…
it is about expanding revenue by having the tools
to increase revenue in creative new ways. When the
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efKJRiuQIo">two-second
advantage™ can happen at Safeway,
it can happen anywhere we find ourselves.
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