Can Dick Smith (ever) become gender intelligent?
Slice of life: Yesterday, I had enjoyed a brunch in Sydney’s Hawkesbury region and following a request from my husband to track down a battery charger for a camera, I found myself inside a local Dick Smith store (his suggestion).
I was hopeful that the task could be completed successfully and we would soon be up and shooting. When I stepped foot into the store, I could immediately see that it held a myriad of other treasures that I could use in my home office, for my staff and just for fun. I could even see that at the far end of the store there were some large screen Tvs and I was interested in seeing what they stocked.
Like many women out for shopping on the weekend, I was happy (just enjoyed great company) and more importantly I was cashed up and in the mood. So, this was the conversation I had with myself in my head in the Dick Smith store at that moment, as many women reading this will understand.
“I would really like to look at some of the things they have in here, but I don’t know where to start. It means I will wander around looking and feeling stupid, become confused and probably sound that way as well.”
You can imaging that within seconds I was starting to feel unsettled (not a good feeling for a woman wanting to spend, as it starts to take the joy out of the whole experience). This is what I heard in my head next:
“If only someone could understand me and come and guide me, then I could make a start.”
That didn’t happen. Instead I put on hold my desire to browse, enjoy and buy and just stood uncomfortably behind the person at the counter who was being served by a young male assistant.
I started to have the sinking feeling that this wasn’t going to be a successful venture on any level. He didn’t acknowledge my presence either while he was serving or when the customer left. I had to walk directly up to the counter and ask my question.
By now I am starting to feel that I am interfering in his work and that my question was foolish anyway I asked it. I was obviously on the right beam with this feeling as he took several steps back when I asked my simple question and actually moved his body away from me.
(This transfer of negative energy from the male sales staff to the female customers would be happening in many stores owned, managed and staffed by males everyday. Most particularly in the CE and automotive industries).
This is because women are acutely aware of people’s feeling towards them. They pick this up from body language and other non-verbal cues which feed into their highly tuned intuitive system. This is not generally the case for men).
His answer was succinct: “No, we don’t sell battery chargers” .
And in that moment, I had the uncomfortable feeling that I should have know that before coming into the store.
As I don’t normally give up easily, I pressed him further: “Where could I get one?”
“Try a camera specialist or the manufacturer,” he replied, as he walked away from me.
I need to say, that this assistant wasn’t unpleasant or rude. He was just disinterested.
Disappointed, deflated and somewhat frustrated, I left and walked straight into the store next door which sold fashion (it could have been food, homewares, books). The female assistant hovering at the entrance commented on my attire and my spirits lifted.
She invited me in and I spent an enjoyable 30 minutes in her company and walked out with a smile and a bulging shopping bag. Now that’s simple gender intelligence.
August 2nd, 2010 at 10:55 am
It was like dejavu reading your story about Dick Smith Stores. I have had a number of similar experiences including one where I asked to see someone who had authority to decide on purchase discounts as I had a requirement for at least $10,000 worth of equipment and I needed some advice on what I actually needed. The sales assistant spoke to her manager who told her to tell me to just write down what I wanted and he woud give me a price then. No offer of assistance to actually help me decide what I needed as originally requested! Suffice it to say I went elsewhere (JB HiFi who have benefitted from many sales from me since) and have never bothered to buy from Dick Smith again!
August 2nd, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Your article today on your Dick Smith Experience is so universal in retail today that it seems to me some of our great retailers have forgotten their key USP.
They create the stock profile, they do the ad’s, they invest millions in “online e-earning training platforms”, but they then forget to remind their staff WHY people come into the store.
I genuinely believe that most retail supervisors never ask their staff: Why do you think you are here? My belief, harking back to my own retail experience, is that they think it’s simply to direct someone to the product they are asking about or do the sales transaction on the assumption the customer has pre-researched it and knows where everything is.
In fact given that Monash’s Retail Studies research indicates around 50% of people have done prior research on What it is they want to buy, they could just as well start by asking, “how can we at Dick Smith help complete your research on the web.” Fact is Dick Smith DO sell battery chargers – their own brands and several others (none by us) – absolutely appalling the staff member did not know. Would love to talk more on this because I think you could start some very interesting discussion on this in your columns and invite industry people to provide insight as guest commentators – and yes please lead with the woman’s view , but don’t assume us blokes haven’t got some bug-a-boos about this type of experience too. Just try and buy a man’s suit these days!