Is customisation
taking a toll on simplicity? Just the other day, I was out shopping for reading
glasses with the Mater. We choose to go with a brand which has a history of
manufacturing products and services across the spectrum right from salt to software.
The real reason goes just beyond this brand being trust worthy and credible. It
was that being a share holder, the Mater had discount coupons.
So we entered a
very crisp, elegantly designed, bright and vibrant showroom. What I really
liked, is their customisation, they had spectacle frames across price ranges
and brands. So essentially it was a good place for both a college student as
well as an office goer and a retire person. Now Ma fell in the latter category
and therefore, promptly went across to the lower priced section of the
showroom.
Contrary to
taking time and getting confused over the frame for her specs, she was quick to
choose her frames within 5 minutes of entering the shop! But little did she
know that the customisation process had just but begun.
The helpers
asked my mom for her prescribed eye power and suggested that we get her eyes checked.
They have all these facilities in their shops! A prescribed optometrist
operates in all their showrooms. Now where a normal eye checkup would have
taken about 15 minutes, this gentlemen, explained the whole process to us and
took 30 minutes. He took us through the check up journey, explaining the whole
nine yards! Initially we thought very high of this service, I mean, who gives
you so much importance, when time is money!? So we went through the process,
and mind you, this a complimentary service too! Now after spending about 45
mins in this showroom, they happy-helpers came to explain us the different
types of lenses used for the glasses!! You see since this was a new experience,
initially, we enjoyed the explanations and the one-to-one attention.
But slowly and
steadily I started realising that we were actually increasing the footfall for
this showroom, we had been in this showroom for over an hour! And that invited
(unintentionally) about 6 new customers, and converted 4 of them into buyers! So
basically, for the shop manager, we were a sure shot formula for increasing
sales that evening!
As I sat there
listening to the various terms in glasses and glass materials and of course sipping
on my cola, I realised that customisation had made the simple process of ‘spectacle
frame shopping’ very complicated! Yes, we did increase our knowledge quotient,
so there was a value-add.
May be the
company knows that given a choice customers wouldn’t really care if they choose
one material over the other, but if because of this customisation, I end up
spending more time at the shop I will actually buy more directly and indirectly
by increasing the footfall.
Bulls-eye!
