customer profiling
I submit to you two scenarios from my recent visits to our favorite home improvement place. Improving home improvement indeed…
Scenario I
- begin very messy, dirty project
- run out of essential item, or realize it never made it on the list
- head to Lowe’s looking like the Lizard Man’s bride;
complete with no makeup, crazy hair, and grubby work clothes - search hopelessly for item; layout makes no sense, the store is rearranged yet again
- try to maintain patience and focus on finding item
- just one more aisle; there’s NOWHERE else it could possibly be…
- give up solo search
- admit need for help
- text message husband and declare family holiday because I actually acknowledged need for help
- multiple choice:
- can’t find living soul to help
- finally find someone to help and forget what the hell it was I needed in the first place
- leave store empty-handed
Scenario II
- get dressed; light makeup, khaki capris, nice shirt, & short red heels with hair neatly pulled back
- go by Lowe’s to get some ideas and check out materials for a few projects
- just browsing and checking prices; no need for any help at all
- help? who needs help? not me!!!
- spend more time shooing away people than actually looking for ideas and prices
- leave store empty-handed
April 3rd, 2006 at 4:04 pm
Home Depot is the same way. I’ve had people pass me by to help a woman who looked like she had money. GAH!
April 9th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
Don’t you love that, I get that all the time. I used to walk around the Short Hills mall for fun all grubbed out to see the reactions. That’s another reason I quit my oh-so-short job at BB Pepper, high end clothes, because I didn’t like how they selected who they were going to help based on how much money it looked like they had. Wonderful!