"Couldn't I have decided after looking at the website? What is the difference between checking the piece online and coming to your store?"
"Madam, this is how we operate"
..............................................
"Well, this one had a different configuration online"
"No way"
"Show me the website. I ll prove! X-("
...............................................
"Now, what do you say, mister? Do you know how to handle customers? Are you here to sell or shoo away customers? I don't feel like buying here anymore!"
................................................
This is what happened at Univercell store, Pondy Bazaar a few months ago, when I was trying to buy a new mobile. I couldn't help wondering about services marketing and how right my professor (rather, God PVR) was! Marketing is more about making sense to the customers and the attitude.
In the case of Univercell, they have a well designed exhaustive website. I did some background work before I decided to head for the store. I had shortlisted a few models and basically, I wanted to check my comfortability with the keypad. Gayathri had accompanied me and we stopped at The Mobile Store, Adyar. The salesperson told us that we could only look at the plastic casing. It was as good as a dummy mobile toy!
We decided to go to Univercell, Pondy Bazaar, given its popularity. And we were met with the above said attitude. Looks like Univercell segmented its customer base into the internet-savvy ones who would order online and the layman who would just come into the store and get coaxed by the salesperson's tactics (duh! It was more of attitude problem!) and the sale is made. Couldn't they think of the intersection of these two segments?!
Two months after this experience, I read this today. Good for Univercell, they have recognised that people would like to atleast feel the mobiles before purchasing! But look!!! They call it experiential marketing!
Dude! You change your store and attach a fancy tag to it, relevant or no?! Well, a textile retail showroom lets its customers look, feel and touch a saree before the customer buys it. So, is that experiential marketing?!
It was basic commonsense! And I m happy they finally realised that its high time they tried to satisfy their customers. But experiential?!! Thats stretching it too far! X-(
PS: If any of you have tried the remodeled Univercell showroom, do leave a comment.
