The difference between browsing and shopping...
When you walk into a shop with the intent to buy a chocolate bar, even just a small one, nothing crazy. You don’t go in expecting the shopkeeper to ask, “Do you want to buy a chocolate bar?” You already know you’re going to buy it. You know exactly where it is. It’s by the shopkeeper, right in front of you, laid out in a mouth-watering row of chocolates, with many flavours, ranging from a small insulin spike to a sugar coma.
If you walked into that shop and the first thing the shopkeeper said was, “Do you want to buy this chocolate bar? How good is the chocolate bar you have at home? This one is definitely much better,” you’d probably walk straight back out, even if you did want a chocolate bar.
But if that shopkeeper said, “Hi, welcome to my shop. I hope you have a lovely day. Please feel free to explore, and if you have any questions, I’m right here,” you’d probably think, “What a nice shopkeeper.” You’d keep that in mind and carry on with your day.
You’d still buy the chocolate bar you intentionally came in for. And you might even have a quick browse around. You might notice something else and think, “Actually, I’ll pick that up as well, that’s convenient. It’s right here.”
Maybe you realise you don’t have a loaf of bread at home. Technically, you could wait a day or two without it. You’re going to the supermarket in a couple of days anyway as part of your weekly shop, and it’s cheaper there. But the customer experience here is really good. It’s unforceful and empathetic. And that makes you decide to buy the bread now.
You think, “I’ll get this loaf two days earlier than I normally would. It’s 10p more expensive, but it’s worth it.”
That human connection, feeling listened to and cared for, is absolutely worth it.
Because one thing we forget when it comes to a service is that it isn’t just the details of the service or the tools it provides. It’s not just the specific benefits. It’s the way that service is delivered to us by people.
The people make the service.
The people make us enjoy something that would otherwise be quite unenjoyable — quite unsexy. But when it’s presented correctly, with humanity, our association with it changes. Our approach changes. We feel excited to go into that shop.
“I like going in there. That shopkeeper is really nice. I think we’ve built a good rapport.”
What if the shop doesn’t sell chocolate, what if... what is being sold is something that’s genuinely good for you? ("but I like dark chocolate...") Something that’s underutilised by a lot of people, dare I say, essential?
Let’s say you walk into a shop that sells medicines or supplements. You might not know that you’re undernourished in certain vitamins that are severely impacting your day-to-day life. You just don’t know any better. Or maybe you’re particularly vulnerable to certain viruses and have no idea how exposed you currently are. (tech pun intended…)
You probably wouldn’t want a sales pitch that says, “You need this. Now. Now. Now.”
But you might appreciate an assessment. A quick test. A blood test to see where your current levels actually are.
It’s no different from getting your shoe size measured. Wide feet, narrow feet, long feet, are both feet even the same size? ("by the way, they often aren’t.")
That’s a different type of customer experience. And it can be incredibly valuable.
The customer can walk out of that shop knowing with confidence that they don’t need anything. And that’s completely fine. But for the ones who do need something, they now know more than they did when they walked in.
And that knowledge alone is already a better experience. If you are curious about your organisations vital levels, reach out, we would love to have a chat!