IKEA Turns Common Sense Upside Down
At
IKEA the furniture store, oversized umbrellas sit near
the check-out.
The umbrellas are huge (3 people can fit underneath),
colorful (in IKEA’s signature blue and yellow
with a big company logo), and made of good quality materials
(strong cloth, steel shaft, large wooden handle). Exactly
the kind of umbrella you want to carry when it’s
raining.
A small sign hangs nearby:
IKEA
UMBRELLAS
Sunny Day .............. $ 10.
Rainy Day .............. $ 3.
I did a double-take, then smiled. Rainy days are when
you really need an umbrella. Common sense says
a smart retailer could raise the price. But IKEA is
even smarter.
IKEA wants you to enjoy the convenience of a big umbrella
when you need it. They want you to remember the unusually
low price. They want you to help promote their stores
with a huge
IKEA umbrella.
Key Learning Point
IKEA wants you coming back. And with treatment like this,
you will.
Action Steps
What `rainy day' situations hurt your customers?
Equipment failure? Supplies out of stock? Last-minute
delivery needs? Do they expect to pay more for
urgent, special or last-minute attention? That's the moment
to `turn common sense upside down' and give your customers
more than they expect, at less than they expect to pay.
Your income may be lower for a moment, but your revenue
will be healthy for a lifetime.
Next Article in Customer Service Standards >>
How Much Service is Too Much Service?
First Article in Customer Service Toolset >>
Future Sales are Hiding in Service
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