Krell Lighting & Supply

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From the Editor’s Desk

Since I often point out areas in which showrooms could improve their business, a New Jersey rep told me about a client who went above and beyond the expected to please a potential customer.
     While he was visiting Krell Lighting, a 32-year-old, family-run showroom in Park Ridge, N.J., an elderly woman called, inquiring about evening hours so she could have an old lamp evaluated for repair. Unfortunately, she could only arrange for a ride on a night that the store wasn’t normally open. The manager decided that it would be easier for the caller if an employee were dispatched to drive over and pick up the lamp at a convenient time for her. She was thrilled.
     It was a simple solution, but can you be certain that your staff would have done the same? Or is it possible that a less-experienced worker would have merely repeated the hours and not spent any time working out a compromise? All too often the initial contact a person has with your business is a question posed over the phone, and that can influence whether someone decides to shop at your store or not.
     Of course, once people enter your showroom, a more lasting impression is made. For that reason, I think it’s wise for every retailer to periodically step back and assess the atmosphere your store projects. Walk through the entrance as if it were your first time.
     The other day I witnessed a successful technique at a hair salon that I thought would work equally well for lighting showrooms for it impresses clientele while rewarding employees for work well done. Immediately inside the entrance, displayed on an easel was an oversized, ornate frame similar to what typically surrounds an oil painting. Within the frame was a sign that announced, “Please join me in congratulating Laurie, Vanessa, and Susan on completing an intensive week of training at the famous Louis Licari color studio. They gave up time in our shop to spend long hours of disciplined study, learning the latest applications from masters in this top-rated program that they can now offer you. Let them show you what they’ve learned! Book an appointment and receive 10% off services.”
     Many showrooms have sent employees for certification through the American Lighting Association’s (ALA) education program, but how many are actively promoting their endeavors to customers? I asked a handful of retailers from across the country that question and was surprised to learn that the general public was often unaware. While stores hang certifications on the wall behind the cash counter without fanfare and inform customers that there is a lighting designer on staff if someone asks, there isn’t a focused effort to draw attention to the rigors of attaining the accreditation or what benefit it might yield the consumer.
     Why not take out a small newspaper ad or create your own in-store announcement similar to the notice at the hair salon? Offer a discount on a lighting plan or design consultation from one of your recently certified staff members. One manager told me that employees are rewarded with a raise in salary upon completion of the program. That’s a great incentive, but how about letting the community toast their success by hosting a wine and cheese reception one evening? It’s a great occasion for generating traffic and the public attention will make your workers feel proud and loyal to your business. Write in and tell me what you do to publicize your staff members’ accomplishments to the outside world!