Page 74 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - May 2016

on the Mark

expects quick, if not an immediate, response. This
new school of consumers can answer any question

on any subject from their handheld digital device.
They have di culty understanding the time-frame

it takes to get them the answers before making a
purchase.

When a customer has a question, they want

their answers as close to real time as possible. This
means that a showroom must input the means and

systems to have access to real-time information,
the vendors must have the information available,

and that information must be accurate.

Every minute that a customer waits for a re-
sponse is an opportunity for them to change their

mind regarding their selection or even decide to
“shop more or elsewhere” instead of making the

purchase now.
“This new school of consumers can
An extended lapse in response time can break
the continuity of the client-salesperson interaction
answer any question on any subject
and can lead to the customer searching for the an-
from their handheld digital device.”
swer themselves, losing them and their patronage

to the competition. In incidences when an answer

will take time to get, the showroom can so en the
blow of time with a great follow-up system.

Tell the customer your follow-up procedure and
stick to it. This is a ne time to get all of the client’s Clients want knowledge and DIY classes for

contact information plus how they want to get the some product categories could pull in the week-

information they asked for (i.e. phone call, text, or end warrior. Home centers perform these classes
email).
and draw in the skilled customers who want the

For vendors, we know that your answer de- information. The lighting showroom has the exper-
partments are bombarded on Monday mornings tise to provide such a community service; there

with an onslaught of queries. The time it takes to are only positive reasons to include information

answer and respond to the pent-up requests may on these workshops in all outbound marketing ini-
seem timely, but the showroom customer in some tiatives. Showrooms are the professionals that are

cases has been waiting four days if they were on the cu ing edge of knowledge and products in
shopping on a Friday night. How would you feel if Mark Okun is the lighting industry; let’s show it o a bit! Vendors

you waited four days for an answer?
Business Contributor can provide the collateral materials, reps can be

to enLIGHTenment great coordinators, and the showrooms can pro-
effectIve PartnershIPs
Magazine and vide the customers and the physical locations.

Partnerships will de ne success in the 21st Cen- President of Mark
tury for vendors, showrooms, and rep agencies Okun Consulting & venDor – showrooM coMMunIcatIon

alike. Nothing will be le untouched — from the Performance Group. In the 24-7/365 world we are living in; the 8-track

empowered consumer choosing their preferred He has more than
has been replaced by streaming music and MP3s.
way to purchase goods to the evolution of a tra- 30 years of hands-
Relative to business, the fax has been replaced

ditional channel’s operations and go-to-market on retail experience with e-mail and EDI. Our fast-paced lifestyle has
strategies. The type of collaboration represented training and coaching mandated that the time it takes to share informa-

in this article takes time and a deep commitment sales associates in the tion has been drastically shortened.

from all the parties involved, no less. If there is a lighting and furniture The uni ed goal of both the showroom and their
weak link in this chain of three, the a ainment of industries. vendor partners is customer satisfaction. The cli-

goals will be hindered. What will you do to build Mark@bravo ent has grown impatient waiting for answers. It just
this crucial partnership? businessmedia.com
makes sense that this new breed of consumers
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72 enLIGHTenment Magazine | May 2016
www.enlightenmentmag.com