Page 4 - LPG May 2018 Newsletter

4
LPG News April 2018 Luxury Products Group
CIGARS AND SALES — — IT’S NOT JUST SMALL TALK! — — CONTINUED
If you you you have multiple showrooms showrooms ask yourself if if each location’s customer service differs based
on on on the the the manager’s talent and priorities Or are the the the showrooms showrooms showrooms a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a re re ection of what you you you expect the the the customer service level to to to be? Having showrooms showrooms “go rogue” is dangerous for a a a a a a a a a a a company’s bottom line Before creating new displays displays make make sure your employees understand not only how how current displays displays function but also how how they they make make customers feel feel when using them Salespeople tend to to to sell sell what they they feel feel comfortable talking about Sometimes it can be be be be a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a challenge for for salespeople to to to to sell sell beyond their own pocketbook It’s very bene cial to to to have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a showroom staff member who recognizes and and caters to to af af uent consumers This requires selling on on on feeling never price — which takes time and and and training and is is fun once you get good at at it One way to to to to to crack that tendency to to to to to sell out out out of their own pocket is is to to to to to initiate a a a a a a a a a a a a group discussion
with staff staff about about the the the the stores they they like to to to to to to shop at at at at and and why Typically they they talk about about friendly people cleanliness knowledgeable staff staff and and an an an an an an organized oorplan It’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a great opportunity to to to to point out out out out the the the the the the the fact that that that no no one cited price as as something that that that was among the the the the the the the top qualities they listed about the the the the the the the stores That helps them them to to to to draw on on on their own luxury experiences and puts them them into that that that frame of mind While there are are some concerns showrooms showrooms need to be be vigilant about I I I believe that we are are on on on the the the the dawn of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new era for decorative showrooms showrooms In the the the the past few months I I I have met many inspirational showroom showroom managers who blow the the the the doors off off this business They offer great training for their their teams use technology like CRM and and and and modern traf c c c c counting systems — and and and and they they understand the the the the the new retail world They They are excited to to see see what AR and and and and and and VR will bring to to their their showrooms They They see see consumer trends changing faster than ever before and and and and and they they study react and and and and and x I look forward to learning much more from them and others So back back to to to cigars In my my my new role as Director of Luxury Products Group
I I I can help my my my 250+ showrooms showrooms create a a a a a a a a a a a great experience and keep their customers coming back back I I I nd nd nd myself monitoring all the the the the showrooms showrooms in in in in in in our industry community — — even my my competitors — — because if they offer a a a a a a a a a a a “lousy cigar ” more customers customers will get fed up
and and begin buying from other channels We can no longer afford to to to give Amazon and and the the the big boxes the the the gift of of our disenchanted customers customers As much as I I I may want my competition to to to to to offer offer “terrible cigars cigars ” in in in the the the the interest of of of the the the the industry I’ll amend that that that to to to to to to say I’d like them to to to to to to offer offer cigars cigars that that that are just terrible terrible enough to to to to to to send their customers down the the the the the street to to to to to LPG showrooms And that that that is is why having the the the the the best possible team is is so important It can be be the the the measurable difference in in your showroom’s success B JEFF MACDOWELL
Director