So what's your big idea?

Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!

For months now I have been railing against the unwillingness of Big Box retailers to adjust to the realities of the postconsumer meltdown economy. I have berated them endlessly about their inability to adapt as drastically different consumer attitudes emerge. I have predicted the death of the Big Box Store model because growth, as defined over the last 30 years, is no longer sustainable.

Much of this ranting arises out of the frustration I experience daily on the selling floor of my Big Box employer. I deal with the customers, who to me are actually real people, stressed out about losing their jobs, their homes and their retirement savings.

I stand there helpless as they walk through my store relatively empty handed because my Big Box corporation can only offer low prices.

Today’s consumer is not all that interested in low prices from my Big Box store, they can always get lower prices at the Super Discounters, on line, or at any number of non-retail outlets (think E-bay, the thrift store and Craigs list).

What they want is value, as they, the customer, define it.

They want the right products, at competitive prices, and above all, they want somebody in the store that can help them buy the right products. They want service.

Beyond a few poorly written emails, a couple of badges for my vest and a new advertising campaign, my Big Box Company has not been able to do anything to capitalize on the opportunities offered by this post meltdown world. They talk the talk, but in their panic, they have overdone their commitment to controlling inventory costs, reducing labor expenses and putting short term shareholder gains ahead of long term shareholder value, so they are unable, or unwilling, to walk the walk.

Great!

I’m a super genius because I can see the problems and the disastrous effect they will have on the Big Box industry. I get to wear a great big I TOLD YOU SO !! button in a few years.

The real trick would be to figure out what type of retail model will be successful moving forward. Okay, Here’s goes:

The successful retailer will be focused on organically growing their business over time. They will run their businesses to make their customers happy, while turning a profit and providing meaningful employment.

Notice what’s missing from that definition? There is no mention of “increasing shareholder value”, there is no “Commitment to Excellence”, (who starts a business to be mediocre?), there is no talk of “Employee Empowerment”.

Growth is defined as a result of running the business properly, rather than being the objective for being in business.

The overarching objective is to make money while making the customer happy. Not just focusing on the customer, or giving the customer what they want, but in making them happy. Delighting the customer rather than servicing them.

Employees are granted access to a meaningful job, as the employee defines it. This of course assumes they want a meaningful job. If they just want a paycheck, then Micky Dees is always hiring, so you don’t need to bother with them. Successful retailers will work hard to find the right employees, train them continuously and compensate them competitively.

The successful retailer will be:

ð Committed to utilizing appropriate technology

ð Manically Customer focused

ð Employee engaged

ð Community centered

ð Sustainably operated

Each of these points is a critical component of what I think a successful retailer must do and I intend on pontificating about each of them in detail over the next few weeks.

Stay tuned!