The Showroom Experience: Interaction Essential
While on a recent trip to New York City, I visited a couple of showrooms – all senses peeled for the key elements of success. I asked myself, what does it take to successfully engage visitors in the experience of a given lifestyle brand? Two retailers in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle took notably different approaches. The contrasting experiences further convinced me of the importance of interactions.
My visit to Aveda was memorable – as I came through the door, I was greeted with an offer of a relaxing cup of tea. From the start, I was given the impression that the sales people wanted my visit to be stress-free. Throughout my time spent there, the sales people were friendly, offering me help in selecting products. The surprising moment came at the end after my purchase – I was given a hand massage! This unexpected service at the end made my experience at Aveda very memorable.
In contrast, my visit to a well-known electronic manufaturer's store was less impressive. The company uses a showcase format, presenting all products they sell - from computers and phones to TVs. While there are many staff members on hand, their purpose is to provide help when required, rather than to offer an opportunity to experience something unique. The store does not provide the visitor with a memorable experience – the extent of interactivity is the ability to use their computers (with a 30-minute limit) to send email and postcards to friends and family.
Thinking back on these two visits, I’ve come to the conclusion that while many brands are moving towards showrooms, they need to ensure that selling and building the brand are complementary to each other. Building a beautiful showroom is not the end goal - service and interactive activities are critical to creating a memorable brand experience for the shopper. Apple stores are a great example of this blending of emotional and functional experience.
