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	<title>ICC/Decision Services</title>
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	<description>Enhancing the Customer Experience</description>
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		<title>Your Brand Promise</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/your-brand-promise.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/your-brand-promise.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 19:27:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[We&#8217;ve used the term &#8220;brand promise&#8221; a lot throughout our blog here at ICC/Decision Services and thought it about time we define what we mean by it. While not a complicated concept, it can get muddied up a bit without &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/your-brand-promise.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/brand-promise.jpg" alt="brand promise Your Brand Promise" title="brand-promise" width="275" height="183" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4809" /></p>
<p>We&#8217;ve used the term &#8220;brand promise&#8221; a lot throughout our blog here at ICC/Decision Services and thought it about time we define what we mean by it. While not a complicated concept, it can get muddied up a bit without a clear focus. That clear focus is what will keep your mystery shopping program on track.</p>
<p>A brand promise is: &#8220;<strong>This is what we will deliver to you.</strong>&#8221; Pretty simple, right? </p>
<p>Maybe. </p>
<p>The hard part is defining narrowly and specifically what the &#8220;what&#8221; is. Many times, the brand promise becomes too many things in an attempt to be everything to everybody and ends up being nothing to anyone.</p>
<p>For example, when FedEx first started out, their brand promise was, &#8220;We will get your package to you by 10:30 am the next day.&#8221; Time is a measurement we all agree on. If the package arrives prior to 10:30 am, the brand promise is kept. Starting at 10:31 am, the promise is broken. A strong brand promise is easy to measure against. </p>
<p>Notice we did not say anything about price or quality in the brand promise example above. FedEx did not promise that the drivers would be friendly or stop and chit-chat about the weather. Nor did they promise to be the cheapest solution. But when you &#8220;absolutely, positively need something to be there overnight&#8221; and you are the only one promising that, friendly and cost don&#8217;t really matter.</p>
<p>As soon as a company puts a simple brand promise out there and competitors notice their customers leaving for that promise, they will adjust. As competition grows, customers will demand more. Pretty soon, just getting it there by 10:30 am isn&#8217;t enough as UPS, DHL and the USPS can now do that. The package must also arrive undamaged, the driver should be friendly and dressed in a uniform, the truck must be driven in a safe manner, etc. This is where your brand promise can start to get a bit muddied up and the qualitative perceptions can leak from the simplicity of your brand promise.</p>
<p>What does friendly mean? How do you measure that? What does safe mean? Does safe only mean that the driver has never been in an accident? We all know people who don&#8217;t necessarily drive safely, but have not been in an accident &#8212; yet. This is where a quality mystery shopping company can help.</p>
<p>To be an effective mystery shopping program, a mystery shopping company must be able to help first define and hone those elements that are your brand promise, stripping away qualitative things that are <em>perceived</em> to be the brand promise. Then, it needs to be able to devise a way to measure them so that the data becomes actionable.</p>
<p>For your brand promise to be effective, it must be measurable. If you can&#8217;t define what your promise means, you can&#8217;t measure it. If you can&#8217;t measure something, you can&#8217;t manage it.</p>
<p>Mystery shopping programs measure against your brand promise.</p>
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		<title>Why Disney does not need mystery shopping &#8230; but you do</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/why-disney-does-not-need-mystery-shopping-but-you-do.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/why-disney-does-not-need-mystery-shopping-but-you-do.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:47:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Disney parks do not need to be mystery shopped. We know when Snow White&#8217;s skirt is the wrong shade of yellow or when the blush in her cheeks is not quite right. We know when her smile is slightly off &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/why-disney-does-not-need-mystery-shopping-but-you-do.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/snow-white.jpg" alt="snow white Why Disney does not need mystery shopping ... but you do" title="snow-white" width="250" height="345" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4762" /></p>
<p>Disney parks do not need to be mystery shopped.</p>
<p>We know when Snow White&#8217;s skirt is the wrong shade of yellow or when the blush in her cheeks is not quite right. We know when her smile is slightly off or her hands are not quite moving at the right speed. </p>
<p>This is not an accident. This is a result of a carefully managed brand where Disney has articulated clear expectations to their employees who are then charged to communicate them to its customers.</p>
<p>We know when the brand promise of &#8220;A Disney Experience&#8221; is being upheld or broken by the characters in the park. We know if the fireworks over the Magic Castle did not look quite right this evening.</p>
<p>This explicit communication is why comments like the one below can be posted on <a href="http://www.mysteryshopforum.com/read/6/129094/138032#msg-138032">MysteryshopForum.com</a> and we all nod in agreement &#8212; and a little bit of envy.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8230;when I worked at Disney World at the most popular attraction in the parks, we were NOT mystery shopped. Our performance was MORE than evaluated by our customers. If we did something wrong, customers would report it to managers in a heartbeat, and if we did something right, we usually got reported for that too and rewarded. In the parks, there&#8217;s probably very little need of mystery shoppers.</p></blockquote>
<p>As a mystery shopping company, we&#8217;d be crazy to suggest that you don&#8217;t need to do mystery shops, but in the event you never want to do another mystery shop again, the formula is simple; just do what Disney does. Invest in articulating a brand promise. Train your employees to deliver that brand promise every minute of every day. Your customers will get to know the boundaries of your brand and know when you are &#8212; and are not &#8212; delivering it to them.</p>
<p>A critical part of <a href="http://www.iccds.com/great-service-is-service-with-boundaries.html">service with boundaries</a> is recognizing you can&#8217;t be everything to everyone. Even Disney is not everything to everyone but they know who they. Their brand promise did not come about by accident. Someone sat down and said, &#8220;This is who we are. How do we get there with our customers.&#8221; Disney then set out to implement that vision, measuring behaviors against the brand promise every day, with every customer interaction, with every product and with every employee until the brand promise became who they were naturally.</p>
<p>If you mystery shop against an ideal, that is not an effective shop. It may be a one-time project that helps you identify what your brand promise should be or how you stack against your competitors, but it is not a good on-going strategy. When you <strong>start with articulating and communicating your brand promise</strong>, only then is mystery shopping an effective way to measure how well you are delivering is and offers you an opportunity to correct aberrations.</p>
<p>Repeat until your brand promise is internalized with your employees and your customers.</p>
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		<title>Making NO delicious. Topping Dominos</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/making-no-delicious-topping-dominos.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/making-no-delicious-topping-dominos.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:56:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4751</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You can&#8217;t have extra cheese, substitute or remove toppings or ask for thicker crust on Dominos Artisan pizzas. They won&#8217;t do it. That is part of a Dominos pizza with boundaries strategy on their four artisan pizzas. According to their &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/making-no-delicious-topping-dominos.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/dominos-artisan-pizza.jpg" alt="dominos artisan pizza Making NO delicious. Topping Dominos" title="dominos-artisan-pizza" width="600" height="338" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4752" /></p>
<p>You can&#8217;t have extra cheese, substitute or remove toppings or ask for thicker crust on Dominos Artisan pizzas. They won&#8217;t do it.</p>
<p>That is part of a Dominos <a href="http://www.iccds.com/great-service-is-service-with-boundaries.html">pizza with boundaries</a> strategy on their four artisan pizzas. According to their web site, they have spent years perfecting the thinner crust and toppings combinations. It will only take one taste for its customers to understand why they have to say &#8220;no&#8221; to adding different toppings to its artisan pizzas.</p>
<p>Bold move in the highly-competitive world of consumer pizza, but Dominos is confident setting boundaries, communicating them clearly to their customers via television commercials and training their employees to say &#8220;no&#8221; pleasantly, but firmly will pay off.</p>
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		<title>Lululemon &#8211; &#8220;It can&#8217;t be that simple.&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/lululemon-it-cant-be-that-simple.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/lululemon-it-cant-be-that-simple.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:10:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4731</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In an age when most retailers are spending their time gathering large amount of data on their customers through surveys, social media and just plain begging to leave feedback, Lululemon Athletica Inc is taking a polar opposite approach to listening &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/lululemon-it-cant-be-that-simple.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/lululemon.jpg" alt="lululemon Lululemon   It cant be that simple." title="lululemon" width="206" height="207" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4734" /></p>
<p>In an age when most retailers are spending their time gathering large amount of data on their customers through surveys, social media and just plain begging to leave feedback, Lululemon Athletica Inc is taking a polar opposite approach to listening to their customers.</p>
<p>They are literally listening to their customers, doing things like placing the folding tables close to the fitting rooms to be able to hear complaints first-hand and in real-time.</p>
<p>Lululemon is an apparel chain that sells high-end yoga and athletic wear. They have created a rabid fan base for their product by creating scarcity with their product. They also have an obsessive </p>
<p>&#8220;Big data gives you a false sense of security,&#8221; says Ms. Day. </p>
<p>We agree. Gathering data without having a plan to execute makes your organization <a href="http://www.iccds.com/services/mystery-shopping">information rich, but execution poor</a>. While many retailers are slicing and dicing the data into pie charts and performance reports, Lululemon is already taking care of its customers.</p>
<p>The Lululemon&#8217;s formula led one analyst at the WSJ to remark,&#8221;This is just confirmation bias. They are doing well, so they think what they are doing is brilliant. It can&#8217;t be that simple.&#8221;</p>
<p>Only it really is that simple. Know your customer, take care of their needs. Lululemon&#8217;s knows it can&#8217;t be everything to everyone, but they can be the best yoga apparel outlet to their niche market.</p>
<p><strong>Measure, manage and improve the customer experience</strong> &#8212; you need all three to make it work. How you measure is just one piece of the formula. You have to also commit to managing and improving.</p>
<p>Lululemon chooses to measure by foregoing data gathering, but by listening to their customers in real-time, they are still gathering data. And they execute.</p>
<p>Here is the article as it appears in the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052702303812904577295882632723066-lMyQjAxMTAyMDIwMjEyNDIyWj.html?mod=wsj_share_email">WSJ</a>. A short video is embedded.</p>
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		<title>Meijer and the donut honor system</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/meijer-and-the-donut-honor-system.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/meijer-and-the-donut-honor-system.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:30:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4700</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I visited a Meijer store in Michigan on my latest trip to their HQ this week. The deliberate absence of anything high tech &#8212; no iPhone app, no QR Codes &#8212; is what struck me the most. In a retail &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/meijer-and-the-donut-honor-system.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/donut-coffee-honor-system-meijer.jpg" alt="donut coffee honor system meijer Meijer and the donut honor system" title="donut-coffee-honor-system-meijer" width="600" height="601" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4701" /></p>
<p>I visited a <a href="http://www.meijer.com">Meijer</a> store in Michigan on my latest trip to their HQ this week. The deliberate absence of anything high tech &#8212; no iPhone app, no QR Codes &#8212; is what struck me the most.</p>
<p>In a retail world dominated by technology and automation, sometimes no tech is the best tech. </p>
<p>Simple breaks through the clutter.</p>
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		<title>Defining the boundaries of a narrow space</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/defining-the-boundaries-of-a-narrow-space.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/defining-the-boundaries-of-a-narrow-space.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:49:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4683</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When you only have a narrow entry way into your shop, managing traffic can be a nightmare; unless you set some boundaries. Where many shops put up signs that say &#8220;Line forms here&#8221; or &#8220;Order Here/Pay Here,&#8221; Joe the Art &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/defining-the-boundaries-of-a-narrow-space.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/footsteps-joes.jpg" alt="footsteps joes Defining the boundaries of a narrow space" title="footsteps-joes" width="250" height="333" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4684" /></p>
<p>When you only have a narrow entry way into your shop, managing traffic can be a nightmare; unless you set some boundaries. Where many shops put up signs that say &#8220;Line forms here&#8221; or &#8220;Order Here/Pay Here,&#8221; <a href="http://www.joetheartofcoffee.com/">Joe the Art of Coffee</a>  in NYC has solved the problem in a more creative yet demonstativiely forceful way.</p>
<p><strong>They put footprints on the floor that show you exactly how to dance.</strong></p>
<p>Think Arthur Murray Dance Studios or those old &#8217;70s dance kits that showed you how to do <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hustle_(dance)">The Hustle</a>. Put this foot there, the other foot here; you&#8217;re dancing like a pro!</p>
<p>Or in this case, standing in the right line for coffee.</p>
<p>Joe&#8217;s solved a problem every coffee shop counter has &#8212; managing the line. They&#8217;ve freed up their employees <strong>and</strong> customers from having to referee the line. </p>
<p>They&#8217;ve also made expert users of even first-time visitors.</p>
<p>Now, nobody visiting the shop is a tourist. You already belong here. We already know your name.</p>
<p>Welcome.</p>
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		<title>Building stuff is in our DNA</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/building-stuff-is-in-our-dna.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/building-stuff-is-in-our-dna.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:53:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4660</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Joe with 718 Cyclery knows that the need to build is hard-wired into the DNA of the human animal. What he also knows is that when confronted with a nebulous goal of &#8220;just build something,&#8221; most people will never get &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/building-stuff-is-in-our-dna.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/bike-classes.jpg" alt="bike classes Building stuff is in our DNA" title="bike-classes" width="161" height="275" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4668" /></p>
<p>Joe with 718 Cyclery knows that the need to build is hard-wired into the DNA of the human animal. What he also knows is that when confronted with a nebulous goal of &#8220;just build something,&#8221; most people will never get on with it. </p>
<p>The need to build requires direction. The need to build <strong>requires boundaries to be constructive</strong>.</p>
<p>Joe creates those boundaries with bicycles in much the same way bumpers guide a bowling ball down the alley for a new bowler.</p>
<p>&#8220;This whole business is built around building bikes with people,&#8221; he states early in his company video. </p>
<p>Watch it and just try to resist the urge to not pick up a wrench.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/36258512?portrait=0" width="620" height="349" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/36258512">The Inverted Bike Shop</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/showlove">Show Love</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
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		<title>Shared vision. It&#8217;s in our DNA</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/shared-vision-its-in-our-dna.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/shared-vision-its-in-our-dna.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:32:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4633</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Google describes their doodles as &#8220;the fun, surprising and sometimes spontaneous changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries and the lives of famous artists, pioneers and scientists.&#8221; In 2000, Google produced its first doodle for &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/shared-vision-its-in-our-dna.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/bastille.jpg" alt="bastille Shared vision. Its in our DNA" title="bastille" width="276" height="140" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4653" /></p>
<p>Google describes their doodles as &#8220;the fun, surprising and sometimes spontaneous changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries and the lives of famous artists, pioneers and scientists.&#8221;</p>
<p>In 2000, Google produced its first doodle for <a href="http://www.google.com/doodles/bastille-day-2000">Bastille Day</a>. It was so well received by our users that doodles started showing up more and more regularly on the Google homepage. In the beginning, the doodles mostly celebrated familiar holidays; nowadays, they highlight a wide array of events and anniversaries from the Birthday of John James Audubon to the Ice Cream Sundae.</p>
<p>Over time, the demand for doodles has risen in the US and internationally. Creating doodles is now the responsibility of a team of talented illustrators and engineers. For them, creating doodles has become a group effort to enliven the Google homepage and bring smiles to the faces of Google users around the world. The <a href="http://www.google.com/doodles/finder/2012/All%20doodles" target=_blank>index of doodles is available here</a>, but please come back to finish reading this post.</p>
<p>Here is the complete doodle for Feb 14, 2012 in case you missed it.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WTGUjRJiqik?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Why is this Google doodle important? Because it reveals in just a little over a minute the Google DNA, the first step in achieving <a href="http://www.iccds.com/great-service-is-service-with-boundaries.html">Service with Boundaries</a>. While there is a &#8220;not so thinly veiled shot across the bow&#8221; to others like Facebook and Path for their privacy policy blunders, it really focuses on the core of Google. That is, trust built through shared mission. Only by wanting what you want will we ever win your heart. And your trust.</p>
<p>And that is all Google wants. It doesn&#8217;t want to control us or manipulate us but rather to make us happier by finding us what we truly want.</p>
<p>In return, that alone will make Google happier. And more profitable. I think it believes this to its core.</p>
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		<title>JC Penney roots</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/jc-penney-roots.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/jc-penney-roots.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:13:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4512</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On Feb 1st, JC Penney unveiled its new pricing strategy and service policies called Fair and Square. JC Penney describes it as three kinds of pricing, one happy return policy. It got our attention for a couple reasons. Simplicity of &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/jc-penney-roots.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/jcp.jpg" alt="jcp JC Penney roots" title="jcp" width="300" height="262" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4513" /></p>
<p>On Feb 1st, <a href="http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/default.aspx">JC Penney</a> unveiled its new pricing strategy and service policies called Fair and Square. JC Penney describes it as three kinds of pricing, one happy return policy. It got our attention for a couple reasons.</p>
<p><strong>Simplicity of message:</strong> The three kinds of pricing are everyday low pricing, month-long values and best prices. The &#8220;best prices&#8221; will happen on the 1st and 3rd fridays of every month.</p>
<p><strong>Leadership change:</strong> Ron Johnson used to be the Senior VP of Retail for Apple and is now the CEO of JC Penney. He helped shape the Apple Store concept and Genius Bar.</p>
<p>At first blush, we could rush to say that Johnson is trying to simplify the JC Penney brand to mimic Apple, but that might be overly simplifying the issue. It may also be the easy cynical thing to say. What I would hope be more likely correct is that Johnson is getting JC Penney back to its DNA. </p>
<p>JC Penney was established first in 1904 as The Golden Rule store. Later in 1913, the company re-incorporated as JC Penney, named after the partner James Cash Penney who bought out the interest of the other two, Guy Johnson and Thomas Callahan. It has since grown to over 1,100 stores nationwide with anchors in malls.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="http://www.ascension-research.org/penney.html">Ascension Research Center</a>, Penney envisioned a chain of stores across the Rockies based on His business philosophies and the revolutionary idea of charging a flat price to all customers regardless of social status and class.</p>
<p>Is the Fair and Square program Johnson&#8217;s attempts to get JC Penney back to its core DNA? Knowing who you are is the first step in establishing <a href="http://www.iccds.com/great-service-is-service-with-boundaries.html">Service with Boundaries</a>. </p>
<p>Only time will tell.  We&#8217;ll be watching.</p>
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		<title>Expanding your footprint without adding footage</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/expanding-your-footprint-without-adding-footage.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/expanding-your-footprint-without-adding-footage.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:11:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4465</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Speed Theory is not your ordinary bike shop. Besides selling some sweet Cervelo, Felts and Argon bicycles for your next Ironman, it is also a place where anyone can get a great bike to compete in the local mini triathlon &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/expanding-your-footprint-without-adding-footage.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/spin-class.jpg" alt="spin class Expanding your footprint without adding footage" title="spin-class" width="640" height="299" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4467" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.speedtheory.ca/cgy/">Speed Theory</a> is not your ordinary bike shop. </p>
<p>Besides selling some sweet Cervelo, Felts and Argon bicycles for your next Ironman, it is also a place where anyone can get a great bike to compete in the local mini triathlon or just to cruise on some backroads.</p>
<p>Speed Theory makes great use of its real estate, even when the shop is closed. When I arrived at 5:30 am, the temperature was –22&deg; F and I watched people trickle in &#8212; carrying their bicycles and trainer apparatus &#8212; until there were about twenty of us in all. They were all coming for spin class, but this was not like the spin class you did at the gym last week. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/">The Santos Tour Down Under from Australia</a> was playing on a large screen screen in front. While there was some music in the background, the main attraction was the race. Our instructor, Trev Williams gave us some commentary on what was going on and we incorporated what the pros were doing during the class that lasted a little over an hour. </p>
<p>Besides being a cool spin class, what was pure genius was the fact that the owner, Paul Anderson, is making the most of his space even when the store is closed, maximizing his rent. By doing this, he is creating a bond with his customers and creating a strong emotional experience with him and his shop. I would have walked out with $300 worth of merchandise if I didn&#8217;t have only a small carry-on bag with me for my return to the US. </p>
<p>Paul&#8217;s expansion solution works because it is within his company&#8217;s DNA. Building excitement for cycling is what Speed Theory is all about. As we have seen from some businesses, though, it is easy to become confused about what maximizing your space really means. You don&#8217;t want to become <a href="http://www.iccds.com/setting-boundaries-in-cafes.html">a bagel shop selling pizza slices</a>.</p>
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		<title>Kelly Swallow knows who she is</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/kelly-swallow-knows-who-she-is.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/kelly-swallow-knows-who-she-is.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:29:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4276</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Watch this video. It is very short (7 seconds.) And that&#8217;s kinda the point I&#8217;m about to make. Kelly Swallow makes chairs that make people smile. To do Service with Boundaries well, you need to start off with a solid &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/kelly-swallow-knows-who-she-is.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Watch this video. It is very short (7 seconds.) And that&#8217;s kinda the point I&#8217;m about to make.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BfGPQi_TlGY?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><a href="http://kellyswallow.co.uk/">Kelly Swallow</a> makes chairs that make people smile. </p>
<p>To do <a href="http://www.iccds.com/great-service-is-service-with-boundaries.html">Service with Boundaries</a> well, you need to start off with a solid foundation. <strong>You have to know who you are</strong>. Who is Swallow? She&#8217;s the designer who makes chairs that make people smile. It is short, simple and direct.</p>
<p>In setting and sticking to her core DNA, Swallow&#8217;s entire business has a natural flow to the other two formula components: <strong>Listen to your customer&#8230; most of the time</strong> and <strong>You can&#8217;t improve what you don&#8217;t measure</strong>. Swallow knows generally what customers want and her customers trust her to design a chair that will delight them. </p>
<p>Finally, her measurement for success is simple and immediate; <em>did the customer smile?</em></p>
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		<title>No reservations</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/no-reservations.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/no-reservations.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:22:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4259</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m vacationing with my family in Europe over the next week, visiting Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. One of my favorite places to visit when I am in Paris is Le Relais de l&#8217;Entrecôte. I like it mostly because they have &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/no-reservations.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/le-relais.jpg" alt="le relais No reservations" title="le-relais" width="300" height="405" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4261" /></p>
<p>I&#8217;m vacationing with my family in Europe over the next week, visiting Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. One of my favorite places to visit when I am in Paris is <a href="http://www.relaisentrecote.fr/">Le Relais de l&#8217;Entrecôte</a>. I like it mostly because they have defined the boundaries of dining experience </p>
<p>They serve only one entrée; steak frites cooked rare, medium rare or medium. You order your steak the way you like it and the server writes it on your tablecloth, then brings out your salad &#8212; lettuce topped with walnuts and a mustard vinaigrette.</p>
<p>After your salad starter, your steak is brought to you in two stages, with one half held back to keep warm, so you can enjoy it at its best and is accompanied with more freshly prepared frites.</p>
<p>The only wine is red.</p>
<p>And they don&#8217;t take reservations.</p>
<p>The only choice besides the steak temperature you have to make at Le Relais de l&#8217;Entrecôte is your dessert. You can choose from a selection of cheeses and a dessert list with profiteroles, meringue and other ice cream confections.</p>
<p>The service is prompt and efficient and the rules are easily stated. Show up, wait if needed, order your steak and beverage, eat, leave. There is no calling ahead, no menus to pore over and no substitutions.</p>
<p>Le Relais de l&#8217;Entrecôte is the perfect example of a restaurant that has embraced <a href="http://www.iccds.com/great-service-is-service-with-boundaries.html">Service with Boundaries</a>. They have thought about who they are, staking their entire success on one entrée. A quick glance at their <a href="http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/relais-de-l-entrecote-paris-2#query:le%20relais%20entrecote">Yelp page</a> shows they listen to their customers, but not too much and they measure their success with each meal service. When the line stops forming out the door and around the block, I&#8217;m certain they will rethink the formula.</p>
<p>In the meantime, Le Relais de l&#8217;Entrecôte will continue doing business and setting their own service boundaries.</p>
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		<title>No rain, no rainbows</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/no-rain-no-rainbows.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/no-rain-no-rainbows.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:27:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4251</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What do you do with almost $10,000 worth of merchandise that you can&#8217;t return to online retailers because their return procedures are so dysfunctional? If you are STELLAService, you break out the wrapping paper and bows, have a wrapping party &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/no-rain-no-rainbows.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What do you do with almost $10,000 worth of merchandise that you can&#8217;t return to online retailers because their return procedures are so dysfunctional? If you are <a href="http://stellaservice.com/">STELLAService</a>, you break out the wrapping paper and bows, have a wrapping party and donate the items to various charities throughout New York City.</p>
<p>And we decided to help them.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.iccds.com/services/e-shops-powered-by-stellaservice">STELLAService tests online retailers</a> by purchasing and returning real products as a normal customer would. Usually they return the items, but due to poor customer service they were stuck with this stuff.</p>
<p>Turning rain into rainbows. In this case, wrapping present bows.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UI5Ml7i4das?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Folks from ICC who participated in the event were Patty Rivers, Nanette Brown, Kevin Leifer, Alex Montanile, Lauren Botsolas, Emily  Stotzer and me.</p>
<p>Happy holidays everyone!</p>
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		<title>Information rich, execution poor</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/information-rich-execution-poor.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/information-rich-execution-poor.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:52:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4239</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A solid mystery shopping program consists always of three components: - Objective measurements - Never a &#8220;gotcha&#8221; program - Action, not just reporting Often misunderstood and even more often not implemented correctly, mystery shopping are one of the most important &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/information-rich-execution-poor.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/checkboxes.jpg" alt="checkboxes Information rich, execution poor" title="checkboxes" width="243" height="203" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4246" /></p>
<p>A solid mystery shopping program consists always of three components:</p>
<p>- Objective measurements<br />
- Never a &#8220;gotcha&#8221; program<br />
- Action, not just reporting</p>
<p>Often misunderstood and even more often not implemented correctly, <a href="http://www.iccds.com/services/mystery-shopping">mystery shopping</a> are one of the most important tools you can use to measure, manage and improve the customer experience.</p>
<p>A few things you may or may not know. Mystery shopping is the only objective way to measure the customer experience. Why is that important?</p>
<p>Unlike customer surveys &#8212; which are great in their own right &#8212; mystery shopping measures what actually happened rather than measure what people felt happened. It&#8217;s much easier to improve performance when you have specific behaviors to focus on.</p>
<p>All too often, initiatives are used to benefit the executive suite and companies become information rich but execution poor. The wonderful thing about mystery shops is the information can be easily disseminated and cascade down from the corporate to the region to the district level &#8212; all the way down to the store level and even the associate within hours.</p>
<p>The most successful mystery shop programs are not &#8220;gotcha&#8221; in nature. Instead, they help us understand the difference between where the performance level is and where it needs to be. They create this whole process to help everyone to get from point A to point B collectively.</p>
<p>They are not so much motivation but rather, inspiration.</p>
<p>Too often, though, we see budgets allocated and approved for the mystery shopping program but little budget dedicated to helping improve performance. This is akin to buying a car but not spending anything on gas or insurance; buying a house but not paying the property taxes or going out to eat but not leaving enough in your wallet for a tip. </p>
<p>Without a follow up plan to act on the result of a mystery shopping program, it is destined for failure from the start. A solid mystery shopping program that includes execution at the end will help you avoid the common pitfalls most mystery shopping programs face.</p>
<p><center>* * *</center></p>
<p><em>This post is part of a series with a group of bloggers from different professions and world views, each exploring a theme from his/her world view. This was about exploring the theme, <a href="http://letsblogoff.com/if-you-cant-afford-the-tip-you-cant-afford-the-meal.html">If you can’t afford the tip, you can’t afford the meal.</a> To explore how others handled the theme, check them out below.</em></p>
<p><iframe id=lbo_frame src=http://letsblogoff.com/badge.html target=_blank width=200 height=60 frameborder=0 scrolling=no>
<p>Aw, crap. Your browser doesn&#8217;t support iframes. Can you upgrade please?</p>
<p></iframe></p>
<p><script src="http://letsblogoff.com/tables/653.js"></script></p>
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		<title>When does the customer experience begin?</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/when-does-the-customer-experience-begin.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/when-does-the-customer-experience-begin.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:01:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4215</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Earlier, we examined when a customer experience ends at a retail store, but when does the experience actually begin? Here are several examples of companies in various industries who have examined the question and have pushed the customer experience dramatically &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/when-does-the-customer-experience-begin.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Earlier, we examined when a <a href="http://www.iccds.com/about">customer experience</a> ends at a retail store, but when does the experience actually begin? Here are several examples of companies in various industries who have examined the question and have pushed the customer experience dramatically forward of their front door.</p>
<p><strong>VW</strong> &#8211; Automobiles<br />
If you were a car company, you may say the retail experience for the customer begins when the customer enters the showroom and starts looking at the cars. But <a href="http://www.vw.com/en.html">VW</a> would disagree with you. Watch the following video about their factory in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresden">Dresden, Germany</a>.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nd5WGLWNllA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Where most car manufacturers hide the assembly line behind walls, VW has made the line an extension of their showroom. Each step in the process becomes a performance that the customer can watch &#8212; and even take part in.</p>
<p><strong>Amali</strong> &#8211; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/restaurants.html">Restaurant</a><br />
Most restaurant web sites focus on their locations, their menu and getting you to make a reservation, but <a href="http://www.amalinyc.com">Amali</a> in New York City focuses on a different mission for its website. The owners would prefer that you are hungry <em>before</em> you arrive at the restaurant.  By leading with stunning photographs of menu items on their front page (and every other page) your tastebuds and stomach are already seated long before you arrive at the maître d&#8217; stand.</p>
<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/amali-nyc-lamb.jpg" alt="amali nyc lamb When does the customer experience begin?" title="amali-nyc-lamb" width="640" height="308" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4223" /></p>
<p><strong>KrispyKreme</strong> &#8211; Donuts<br />
What can we learn about customer experience from the simple, ubiquitous donut? As it turns out, a lot!</p>
<p>A few years back, I attended a conference in Las Vegas. Since I was taking the redeye home, I had a few hours to kill after the conference ended, so I wondered into the tunnel that connects the Luxor to the Excaliber. As I got closer to the Excaliber, I noticed a crowd of people pressed up against a glass wall. When I made my way to the front, I saw <a href="http://krispykreme.com">KrispyKreme donuts</a> dancing in a lazy river of frying oil, through a series of elaborate racks and flipping machines and finishing up in a shower of sugary glaze. Every person pressing against the glass were engaged in the show, eagerly awaiting their turn in line to buy their box (or boxes!) of hot, delicious donuts.</p>
<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/krispy-kreme-donuts.jpg" alt="krispy kreme donuts When does the customer experience begin?" title="krispy-kreme-donuts" width="640" height="200" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4227" /></p>
<p>These are just three examples of companies who refused to adopt a &#8220;build it and they will come&#8221; approach to the customer experience. Instead of waiting for the customer to come to them, they reached out and included the customer into the process.</p>
<p>When does your customer start experiencing your product or service?</p>
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		<title>Helping You Make Things Less Complex</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/helping-you-make-things-less-complex.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/helping-you-make-things-less-complex.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:52:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer satisfaction surveys]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[icc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ICC/Decision ServicesShopper Intercepts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ICCDS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mystery Shop Program]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4168</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Customer Experience programs come in all shapes and sizes. It can be overwhelming. We at ICC strongly believe in a balance of objective and subjective feedback, a bias for action and a win-win mentality. What I have been seeing more &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/helping-you-make-things-less-complex.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/making-things-simple.jpg" alt="making things simple Helping You Make Things Less Complex" title="making-things-simple" width="240" height="230" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4187" /></p>
<p>Customer Experience programs come in all shapes and sizes. It can be overwhelming. We at ICC strongly believe in a balance of objective and subjective feedback, a bias for action and a win-win mentality. </p>
<p>What I have been seeing more and more lately are companies who have made things far too complex and in turn, jeopardize the success of their companies and careers. </p>
<p>Here are a few tips I&#8217;d like to share:</p>
<p><strong>Commitment From Beginning To End </strong><br />
Too often, companies get excited that they &#8220;checked the box&#8221; by having one of many kinds of customer experience programs (i.e.. <a href="http://www.iccds.com/services/customer-surveys">Customer Satisfaction Surveys</a>, <a href="http://www.iccds.com/services/mystery-shopping">Mystery Shop Program</a>, <a href="http://www.iccds.com/services/customer-intercepts">Customer Intercepts</a>, etc). However in our experience, if things are not set up right from the start it really does not matter. It is sort of like buying a piece of exercise equipment and not using it the right way or not at all. You may feel good about the purchase at first; but if you don&#8217;t get the results… what&#8217;s the point?  </p>
<p><strong>It Is Not About Data Collection. It Is About Action On the Data</strong><br />
Collecting lots of data might make everyone feel good, but in the end a company can&#8217;t demonstrate a return on the investment of time and money. At ICC we call this the packrat syndrome, or in other words, they are information rich, but execution poor. Besides a web report or a deck with lots of charts, what is the plan to make the information come alive?</p>
<p><strong>Partner With a Company That Cares About Your Success As Much As Their Own</strong><br />
In our experience, we have found that companies that understand who they are and what they are (and are not) capable are the ones that succeed. Nothing is done in a vacuum. All great performers and performances had a coach behind them.</p>
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		<title>When does the retail experience end?</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/when-does-the-retail-experience-end.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/when-does-the-retail-experience-end.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:50:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4151</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Does the shopping experience at a brick and mortar store end when you are done shopping or when you are done checking out? For many who live primarily in a digital environment, the experience ends when they are ready to &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/when-does-the-retail-experience-end.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/whole-foods-sign.jpg" alt="whole foods sign When does the retail experience end?" title="whole-foods-sign" width="350" height="189" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4177" /></p>
<p>Does the shopping experience at a brick and mortar store end when you are done shopping or when you are done checking out? </p>
<p>For many who live primarily in a digital environment, the experience ends when they are ready to check out. The check out process for them is a necessary evil, one they are defining as more and more unnecessary. They can check out in 1-Click on Amazon.com; why can&#8217;t they check out in a few minutes at a mall clothing store?</p>
<p>In truth, brick and mortar stores don&#8217;t make 1-Click check out as part of their brand promise and have set no expectation that they need to live up to. For most of them, checking out at a register is part of the shopping experience. In fact &#8212; done well &#8212; it is necessary as that is one more opportunity for the sales clerk to up-sell additional merchandise.</p>
<p>As the digital shopping experience push further and further into the culture, retail stores will probably need to begin to address this issue more overtly. Some will choose to incorporate the check-out experience (or wait during the holiday season) into the shopping experience by engaging with customers as they wait or even check them out in line with a mobile solution. Still others may want the shopping experience to end as quickly as possible and staff the registers more to move customers through a frictionless process. </p>
<p>Some retailers rely on the checkout procedure to build a relationship with their customers, especially those that give their customers a more DIY experience while shopping. For example, <a href="http://www.masslive.com/business-news/index.ssf/2011/09/big_y_to_eliminate_all_self-checkout_kio.html">Big Y grocery stores will be eliminating self-check out</a> in favor of cashier-assisted checkout, saying its customers were not saving time as &#8220;self-checkout lines get clogged as the customers needed to wait for store staff to assist with problems with bar codes, coupons, payment problems and other issues that invariably arise with many transactions.&#8221; For these customers, Big Y chose to include the check out process as part of the retail experience.</p>
<p>Still others manage the check out process by setting expectations early, like <a href="http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/columbuscircle/">Whole Foods in Columbus Circle</a> in New York. They post a sign in store and on their website with wait time expectations. The customer can then choose what kind of shopping experience they want just by selecting the day and time they come into the store.</p>
<p>However the retail shopping experience will change in the next few years depends first on the retailer asking, &#8220;Who am I?&#8221; early in the process. Once they define who they are, they can begin crafting the retail experience around that which contributes to <a href="http://www.iccds.com/great-service-is-service-with-boundaries.html">setting expectations</a> for their customers.</p>
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		<title>Setting boundaries in cafés</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/setting-boundaries-in-cafes.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/setting-boundaries-in-cafes.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:25:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4047</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Take a good look at the photo above. I was walking past this shop on Saturday and realized; I have no idea what they sell. At first glance, you may say, &#8220;they sell bagels&#8221; but then when you read a &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/setting-boundaries-in-cafes.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/everything-bagels.jpg" alt="everything bagels Setting boundaries in cafés" title="everything-bagels" width="600" height="450" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4048" /></p>
<p>Take a good look at the photo above. </p>
<p>I was walking past this shop on Saturday and realized; I have no idea what they sell.</p>
<p>At first glance, you may say, &#8220;they sell bagels&#8221; but then when you read a bit more, the badly-hung ad hoc sign in the window says &#8220;2 SLICES + SODA CAN $3.75.&#8221; As the shop is in New York, the implication is 2 slices of pizza.</p>
<p>Wait, what? I thought this was a bagel shop. </p>
<p>Are you confused? You are probably not alone. As confused as the customers are, think about how confused and scattered the employees must feel. The owners look like they are scrambling to sell whatever food item they can. If they need to sell pizza in a bagel deli to make the rent, they do.</p>
<p>Many cafés fall into this trap. They start off with a concept and instead of marketing to an audience who identifies with the niche, they panic and start adding things to the menu. In the end, they will most likely fail because they will become nothing to everyone. Nothing separates their bagels from the deli down the street or the food cart two more blocks over.</p>
<p>When providing service with boundaries, it&#8217;s important to never forget Rule One: <strong>You can&#8217;t be everything to everyone</strong>.</p>
<p><em>To read more about <a href="http://www.iccds.com/great-service-is-service-with-boundaries.html">Service with Boundaries, start here where it all began.</a></em></p>
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		<title>Office Depot&#8217;s DIY mystery shopping adventure</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/office-depots-diy-mystery-shopping-adventure.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/office-depots-diy-mystery-shopping-adventure.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:53:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>drich</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Intercepts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mystery Shopping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Office Depot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[secret shopper]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=4032</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The most recent HBR (Harvard Business Review) features Kevin Peters, president of Office Depot, taking on mystery shopping himself (at first) to drive results. He discovered what most of our clients tell us; Mystery shopping works. The problem is most &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/office-depots-diy-mystery-shopping-adventure.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.iccds.com/files/hbr.jpg" alt="hbr Office Depots DIY mystery shopping adventure" title="hbr" width="230" height="120" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4033" /></p>
<p>The most recent HBR (<a href="http://hbr.org/2011/11/office-depots-president-mystery-shopping-turnaround/ar/1">Harvard Business Review</a>) features Kevin Peters, president of Office Depot, taking on <a href="http://www.iccds.com/services/mystery-shopping">mystery shopping</a> <em>himself</em> (at first) to drive results. He discovered what most of our clients tell us; <strong>Mystery shopping works</strong>. </p>
<p>The problem is most companies (and unfortunately sometimes their supplier) don&#8217;t do it correctly. When they don&#8217;t get the results they hope for, they end up &#8220;throwing out the baby with the bath water.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>In summary,</strong><br />
- Office Depot had a mystery shopping program that did not work.<br />
- The president went out the stores and did the job himself.<br />
- Peters found they were not measuring the right things.<br />
- Office Depot is now recalibrating and rolling out to its stores<br />
- Talking directly to his customers in the store yielded information that Peters was not getting through his executives or customer satisfaction survey program.<br />
- Peters wanted to find more ways to find out why people are leaving the store without making a purchase.</p>
<p><strong>Our take on the story</strong><br />
The mystery shopping program was set up for failure before it ever began. </p>
<p>It is unfortunate that Office Depot probably wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars in what could have been easily identified upfront. &#8220;If you don&#8217;t ask the right questions, you will not get the right answers.&#8221;  </p>
<p>We love Harvard Business Review but they did sort of take the angle of the president doing the old &#8220;if you want the job done right do it yourself&#8221; mantra. While this was novel for the article, in reality really cannot happen across any chain in a meaningful or sustainable way. </p>
<p>Although we do not know it for a fact, the provider they mention is probably not doing their new program anymore (nor is Peters) and the person or team who brought the provider in and managed the program is probably not at Office Depot either. The person or team in charge of Customer Experience has a great opportunity in front of them; not just because they recalibrated their mystery shop program, but because they still have huge opportunities. </p>
<p>The opportunity is the huge open gap on the non-purchaser side of the customer experience.</p>
<p>There was something else that was alluded to but not pointed out. What about the people who made a purchase, but would have bought more? They are screaming for <a href="http://www.iccds.com/services/customer-intercepts">customer intercepts</a>. I wonder if the president will do them too? </p>
<p><strong>My bottom line</strong><br />
I love that Peters got his hands dirty in the store and actually talked to the customers. it is a great lesson for all retail executives. We just want them to be successful in the long term; not because HBR said so, but their customer, their employees and their stock price need them to be.</p>
<p>If you would like additional insights on why most mystery shopping programs do not work (and what to do about it) or are interested in finding out how to understand why customers leave your store and do not make a purchase, <a href="http://www.iccds.com/contact-us">let us know</a>. In the meantime, we look forward to sharing future insights that can help you succeed in your position and create a future full of possibility.</p>
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		<title>Field Coordinator</title>
		<link>http://www.iccds.com/field-coordinator.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.iccds.com/field-coordinator.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:24:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Jobs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.iccds.com/?p=3152</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Who We Are: Come join our growing team! For over 30 years ICC/Decision Services has been working with the world’s largest retailers, restaurants and brands interested in measuring and improving the overall customer experience.  We are seeking people who are &#8230; <a href="http://www.iccds.com/field-coordinator.html">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Who We Are:</strong></p>
<p>Come join our growing team! For over 30 years ICC/Decision Services has been working with the world’s largest retailers, restaurants and brands interested in measuring and improving the overall customer experience.  We are seeking people who are looking to jumpstart their career growth in a work hard environment focused on entrepreneurism and growth.</p>
<p><strong>Job Description:</strong></p>
<p>ICC/Decision Services is seeking a Field Coordinator (FC) to recruit, manage and schedule our field associates from our network database.  We are interested in an energetic and outgoing Field Coordinator to join our Field Recruitment Team.  This team is accustomed to meeting weekly and monthly deadlines and is committed to providing service that exceeds our clients’ expectations! Our ideal candidate will be detail and deadline oriented, and work well under pressure. Tremendous growth opportunity within this promotable position. </p>
<p><strong>Job Responsibilities:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Identify applications for Field Associates that meet our clients’ specific needs</li>
<li>Manage the entire hiring process; recruitment, placement and follow-up</li>
<li>Source for new Field Associates based on our clients’ needs</li>
<li>Develop relationships with our network of new and existing Field Associates</li>
<li>Must meet all assignment deadlines; weekly and monthly</li>
<li>Be resourceful and creative when filling open assignments to meet deadlines</li>
<li>Build and manage relationship with Field Associates; resolve issues, address concerns, answer questions and coach where needed</li>
<li>Follow up with Field Associates to ensure assignments are completed prior to all deadlines</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Candidate Requirements: </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Organized with excellent time management skills</li>
<li>Desire to set and achieve goals</li>
<li>Works well under pressure and understands the critical nature of deadlines</li>
<li>Strong decision-making ability</li>
<li>Confident and persuasive with the ability to read and manage people </li>
<li>Outgoing personality, positive attitude with enthusiasm and integrity</li>
<li>Self-Starter, proactive and resourceful</li>
<li>Experience as a recruiter preferred</li>
<li>Familiarity with Google Ad Words, Facebook and Twitter a plus</li>
<li>Proficiency with MS Office, Internet and comfort with technology</li>
</ul>
<p>This position includes benefits, insurance and 401K plan. This position is located in our Wayne, NJ office.</p>
<p>If you are interested in becoming our next Field Coordinator and want to work with people who are passionate, hard working and dedicated, at a fast growing company, please email your cover letter, resume and salary requirements to <a href="mailto:careers@iccds.com">careers@iccds.com</a> with the subject: Field Coordinator Position</p>
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