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We are constantly assailed in the TV ad breaks by supermarkets essentially arguing and bickering with each other. “We are the cheapest on 500 products”, “we have these special deals on essential products”, “we will beat any other supermarket’s price” and so on.
It’s hard to know what to make of this. If we go to one or other of the supermarkets, aside from the different signage and logos they mostly seem much the same. We are bathed in bright fluorescent lighting, and while in the bigger shops the aisles are wider, we still seem crowded in by piles of food and goods stacked high. The experience is pretty much the same and not the best either.
Being different
Well, it’s nearly always the same anyway. We have a new Co-Op which has taken over many Somerfield stores including ours. They have refurbished the shop and have done a great job. Given there is no more space and they have wider aisles, they probably carry less variety of stock. They have more diffused less harsh lighting and even the signage seems less in our faces.
Our new shop gives more of a feeling of comfort and peace. It may be a supermarket version of feng shui for all I know, but it works. It is almost a pleasure to go shopping for our essentials.
Comfort zone
In my business, I believe what I sell is peace of mind, and I try to deliver it in the most comfortable way. I add-on little extras that don’t cost me anything but show that I care, which I do. I don’t give away what my business could charge for, and no business should. Mostly the extras comprise making suggestions about how my clients might source services I do not provide, such as web hosting or printing. I get to refer my friends but at the same time I am providing added value. People appreciate the thought and they will remember to refer business to those that help them.
Whatever the business we are in, whether selling groceries like the local Co-op or providing a service of any sort, that comfortable experience provides added value. Do you deliver Southern or even Northern Comfort?
