Clinique are taking steps to improve the shopping experience at their counters using a coloured wrist band system.
You grab one of the bands, and the colour you choose tells the Consultant what kind of shopper you are. Green means you have time, you want to talk, you're up for a consultation in other words, from daily skin care routines to make up application tips, this is a full service consultation with product recommendations as well as application tips and techniques.. White means time is of the essence. A Skin diagnostic tool allows consumers to browse alone but offers one on one service on demand. With Guided Self-service, customers use a tool that takes 90 seconds and prints a receipt providing a list of product recommendations and a Consultant is available for support and to help locate the items. Lastly, there's pink, for browsing and happy. Self explanatory really!
I think this is a fabulous idea and really helps to tackle the issues so many customers have when visiting counters...now you can signal immediately what kind of assistance you are looking for easily. I have my reservations about the practicality of how it will work... will a customer who wanted to quickly get in and out have time to listen to a spiel about the wristbands and how they work? Will they be visible if people have long sleeves on? Will people actually want to wear a band around their wrist when visiting a counter? I don't know and time will tell, but I do applaud Clinique for actually trying to do something positive to help the customer get the service THEY want. It's something new and innovative at least! A great idea I think.
At the moment the bands are on counters in Selfridges Oxford Street, House of Fraser Meadowhall, House of Fraser Glasgow, Debenhams Leeds and Fenwick Newcastle. If I was closer I'd definitely be heading over to have look, least of all because I want a go on the state of the art skin diagnostic tool!
This is such a good idea! If they put them at the door so you could grab your colour as soon as you walk in that would be good, otherwise going to the counter to get a band might be too late because they'd already pounced on you?
ReplyDeleteAs you say, it's an interesting idea but I'm keen hear how it works in practice. I've definitely experienced both scenario; being hassled when I want to browse, then being ignored when I want assistance. I can appreciate it must be hard work for SAs trying to get it right!
ReplyDeleteBeing an older woman I do find that that in itself is a sort of code as I am usually ignored! Which is fine - I would much prefer service with a smile which really should not be hard to do, surely a polite enquiry as to whether one wants any help or is just browsing is cheaper and dare I say it obvious?
ReplyDeleteThats a very interesting idea, I'd be interested to see if it works, its good that the company are trying to address different customer needs :)
ReplyDeleteI think this idea is definately worth a try, it may work, it may not! How I hate pushy sales staff but even worse, by far, are the ones who are totally disinterested in you and the products, the ones who make you feel you are interupting them when they are chatting amongst themselves. I also hate it when they don't know their stuff, it's good for us to be knowledgeable but it's not good when we know more than they do about their products! Great blog x
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