I’m an experiential learner. I learn by doing. There’s nothing as impactful for me as experiencing something myself. Once I do, it just clicks.
Once I realized this I started to take note of things that worked for me in all aspects of my life – magazine headlines, highway signs, parking lot design, recipe layout.
It was only natural that I’d use Wegmans as a case study. I love Wegmans. I drive past two other supermarkets every weekend to go to Wegmans.
What can we learn from Wegmans?
- Don’t make your customer guess. Far left pic – Wegmans carries at least a dozen varieties of apples. I can’t possibly keep them all straight – baking or eating, firm or soft, sweet or tart. I used to go for my old reliable McIntosh but these signs introduced me to some new varieties. Now I always go home with a few Pink Ladies (my new fave). And guess what – Wegmans is the only local supermarket I can get them at.
- Give them new ways of using your product. Middle pic – I love their olive bar, but after umpteen weeks of chili pepper olives, artichoke hearts and garlic hummus I was growing tired of the usual. A few weeks ago this sign popped up giving me new creative ways to use the same ol’ same ol’. Last Friday we made a pizza with oven roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic and mozzarella balls and it won’t be our last.
- Give them more than they ask for. Far right pic – As soon as I walk into the store I can smell the fresh baked bread on Saturday mornings. I’m an early riser though and often most of the racks are still empty. They’ve started putting up signs letting customers know when a variety is done baking but not ready to be put in a bag. If I want just-baked bread all I have to do is let them know.
These little extras are what makes me drive past an Acme and a Shop Rite week after week. Not only do I get a big selection of fresh produce and meat, but they give me a way to broaden my options, spruce up my weekday meals, and enjoy their freshest offerings.
Next time you’re planning an update to your site, think “What are my users guessing at?”, “How can I show them new ways to use my product?” and “What can I give them will be unexpected?”
Now if Wegmans could just make that Asiago Cheese dip low fat.
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{ 2 comments }
Are Wegmans masters of customer service or masters in the psychology of shopping? No other grocery store I've been to focuses more on the impulse buy & prepared foods. It's impossible to go there & stick to your shopping list. The store is brilliantly laid out to take advantage of the customer & get them to buy things they didn't intend to, not to help them broaden their pallets.
Sure, they do a great job laying out the store for their customers and for themselves. I don't fault them for that. As consumers we need to be smart shoppers too. But they definitely have customer service down as well – from having knowledgeable butchers who are glad to give me an opinion on the right cut of meat, to produce people who will happily go in the back to replenish that herb I really needed, all the way down to personally bagging my order.
That's servicing the customer.
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