The Container Store tries to astonish customers by exceeding their expectations.
Below is the Container
Store’s selling philosophy.
“Imagine a man lost in the desert. He’s been
wandering for weeks. He “stumbles
across an oasis, where he’s offered a glass of water, because surely he must be thirsty. But if you stop
to think about what he’s experienced and what his needs
really are, you know that he needs more than just water. He needs food, a
comfortable place to sleep, a phone to call his wife and family, maybe a pair of
shoes and a hat to screen the sun’s rays.
When a customer comes to the store looking for shoe storage, for example, we equate her to a “Man in a Desert,“ ” in desperate need of a complete solution (not just a drink of water). We start asking questions about what her needs are. “How many shoes do you have? “How many shoes do you have? “If shoes “are a big problem for you, how does the rest of the closet function?” By anticipating her needs, we know that she needs an organization plan – a complete solution - for her entire closet.
Most retailers are pleased with helping her find a shoe rack – that glass of water - but not at The Container Store. They don’t just stop with the obvious they provide a complete solution.
When a customer comes to the store looking for shoe storage, for example, we equate her to a “Man in a Desert,“ ” in desperate need of a complete solution (not just a drink of water). We start asking questions about what her needs are. “How many shoes do you have? “How many shoes do you have? “If shoes “are a big problem for you, how does the rest of the closet function?” By anticipating her needs, we know that she needs an organization plan – a complete solution - for her entire closet.
Most retailers are pleased with helping her find a shoe rack – that glass of water - but not at The Container Store. They don’t just stop with the obvious they provide a complete solution.
The Man in the Desert selling philosophy has been key to achieving one of the main goals of having customers happy in their organized closet, pantry, home office, etc., because they are so delighted and thrilled with the complete solution provided to them.”
But no matter how
cleverly you articulate your values, vision, and mission, the absolute
number-one thing you must do is repeat, repeat and repeat the message until
every employee can voice, deliver and own the company’s values, vision, and
mission.
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