The Language of Experience

Just finished watching Wine for the Confused, an informational program written and hosted by John Cleese and produced by the Food Network.

[I watched it via Netflix's "Watch Instantly" feature. But you can also view this show -- in its entirety -- on Hulu.]

Like an earlier post on tasting coffee, what was notable about this program -- apart from the Monty Python veteran's trademark quips -- was the focus on the language used to describe the tastes, smells, flavors, and related connections recalled by each wine. I appreciate Cleese making this a key point.

Acquiring and using a rich vocabulary of sensory descriptors -- is a necessary skill in fully understanding customer (or employee) experience through observation.

And all the better for discovering your favorite wines.

A Favorite Brand Lets Me Down

Has a favorite brand, product, or service ever left you feeling disappointed?

After years of waiting, one of my favorite brands just became more accessible -- a new Trader Joe's has just opened a mere 3.5 miles from my home in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

I've loved this brand since first discovering them in Southern California about two decades ago. Their selection of quality domestic and imported food, extremely competitive prices, and an engaging customer experience puts them near the very top of my personal loyalty list.

In anticipation of this opening, I've been reading the Len Lewis profile on this distinctive grocer, The Trader Joe's Adventure: Turning A Unique Approach to Business into a Retail and Cultural Phenomenon. [see Excerpts via Google Books]

It's a fascinating read that confirms much of what I've suspected/observed as a customer. The book reveals a very purposeful vision and strategy -- one that created a differentiated business model unrivaled for over four decades.

But I digress.

So, on opening day, we head out to the very newest Trader Joe's in the world. I'm excited -- about to take on a new Trader Joe's adventure...

The underground parking provides hints of the trademarked tropical experience to come

TJ orchid, localized to Saint Paul, Minnesota

Cool -- vintage suitcases just inside the entrance enhance and confirm the exotic adventure

More localization -- a mural of Saint Paul's Como Park; Hey! That's not exotic!! (though the conservatory pictured does house tropical plants...)

Now this is the kind of whimsy I expect

A mural featuring what are, recognizably, a variety of Saint Paul-style houses

Above the dairy section, a mural of the downtown Saint Paul skyline and Mississippi River; note the bicycle -- one of several displayed above refrigerated cases

For some reason, the longer I was in the store, the less connected I felt to the Trader Joe's mystique. It took a little while to figure out why...

This isn't the exotic adventure one expects from Trader Joe's. Surrounded with images of Minnesota -- not some far-off tropical island -- it feels like an ordinary grocery store. Sure, there are the unique products only Trader Joe's offers, all at great prices. This is, after all, my logical reason for coming back time and time again. But that isn't the reason thousands of fanatical customers like myself line up at grand openings, rave to friends, and have joined the cult.

I expect -- and am stimulated and excited by -- the breeze of the trade winds, not a Minnesota wind chill; surfboards and flip-flops, not a classic Schwinn bike; palm or coconut trees, not northern pines. The casual, beach-side cedar-planked walls -- while some exist -- have been largely replaced with light yellow-painted sheet rock and these all-too-familiar murals.

For that experience, I can go to a Twin Cities-based grocer (and I often do).

A number of years ago, I recall Boston Market taking on a similar localization strategy. They too had murals on their wall. I forget the exact details, but remember tomato crates with "St. Paul" labeled as a destination. For that brand, localization made sense -- "Boston" is in their name, and here they were, plopping down in a far different city. (Since then, Boston Market has considerably scaled back its operations in Minnesota.)

But Trader Joe's doesn't need to do this. They are not local -- that is clear -- and they should not be. They are exotic, equatorial, different.

Itty-Bitty, Unreadable Signage

Among my greatest pet peeves is, in fact, the term "pet peeve."

But another -- in retail and service settings -- is signage that is way too small.

Most often, it's the minuscule Visa and/or MasterCard store hours posted on too many retailers' doors. These stickers are barely visible from the curb, let alone standing an arm's length away.

But yesterday, it was restroom signage.

I was hanging out with colleagues yesterday afternoon on the dock of a great eating & drinking establishment right on beautiful Lake Minnetonka, on the western end of the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Just about everything about this place is wonderful -- with the exception of the bathrooms off the dockside dining area.

These restrooms have recessed entrances. On the approach (pictured above), there's no indication that these are even restrooms, let alone which is the men's or women's. (The sign you see between the entrances says "Shoes Required / Glass on Wharf Deck".)

Round the corner, and one is greeted with the itty-bitty "men" or "women" sign found at a typical office supply store. The text is done in perhaps 90 point -- maybe 110 point -- san serif type.

The scale of this type and accompanying man or woman graphic would be ideal in a child's playhouse, but certainly not in a public place designed for grown-ups.

Can't even image this navigation after a drink or two in subdued evening light... this must cause some interesting, potentially embarrassing encounters.

My recommendation would be larger signage outside/above each entrance with another replacing the existing sign.

What "itty-bitty", unreadable signage have you seen?

Clever Application of Laser Technology

Via Toxel.com, here is a brilliant use of laser technology -- LightLane.

Emitted from a bicycle taillight, lasers project a glowing "bike lane" on the surface of the street beside and behind the cyclist. What's especially cool about this technology is how it helps claim/define space on a night time road.

This makes one wonder... What other applications could there be for this -- perhaps defining indoor or outdoor space in and around homes and buildings.

Other ideas?

Learn more about LightLane at http://www.lightlanebike.com

Placemaking - Just Add a Piano

Found via London Daily Photo blog, check out the wonderful "Street Piano" program:

Play Me I'm Yours

http://www.streetpianos.com

Starting in Birmingham, England in 2008, the idea has spread internationally as far as Sydney and Sao Paulo.

The notion is quite simple -- place pianos throughout the city, labeled with the phrase, "Play me, I'm yours", and let the rest just happen.

This YouTube video demonstrates the fun that can ensue:

Magnificent!

"Les Bonbons" - The Allure of a Candy Shop

Watercolor painting by Carol Gillott, Paris Breakfasts

Who doesn't love a candy store?

From the Paris Breakfasts blog comes this posting on candy and its presentation in Parisian stores and elsewhere:

http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2009/06/les-bonbons.html

This blog by artist/connoisseur/observer of life, Carol Gillott, features watercolor paintings, photos, and commentary of the retail and street life of Paris.

Her watercolors (and photos) capture the beauty of everyday life in Paris. In that city, aesthetics are an important and natural element -- from window displays to the construction of a lemon tart.

Photo by Carol Gillott, Paris Breakfasts

This craftsmanship, passion, and attention to detail is missing from much of the retail here in the U.S.

Proven Technique for Repelling Customers

The other day, I blogged about a disappointing visit to a local Super Target.

Today, a follow-up with an even more disappointing disgusting experience at a Borders, just across the street from the Target.

Just yesterday, on a visit this Borders bookstore, I encountered an astounding sight -- filthy, worn carpet on the stairway between their first and second floors. It is hard to come up with just the right words... This was beyond just tired or well-used. It was battered, threadbare, with ground-in dirt and grime.

But it didn't end with the appearance... more impactful was how it feels. One expects the gentle cushiness of carpet. Instead, customers feel a hard gritty crunch on the soles of their shoes.

Most people would be embarrassed to invite guests into a home in similar condition. A major retailer should know better.

What makes this especially appalling -- these stairs are the path customers take to reach food and drink in Borders' second floor cafe.

I, personally, don't want to go back -- ever.