Article

Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit: Taking your customers on the ride of their lives

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor, discusses how companies can create 'amusement park-like' customer experiences.

August 8, 2011

The power of positive energy was Bob Phibbs' message during the keynote speech at the Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit this week in Minnesota.

"It comes down to a choice that we make because we can create good and bad energy," said Phibbs, also known as the Retail Doctor, who appears on MSNBC's Your Business and who is also the author of two business books. "Our minds can't picture a negative, so you end up with what you ultimately don't want."

Phibbs specifically encouraged attendees to put positive energy into planning for the holiday retail season. Instead of dwelling on last year's low numbers and hoping they don't get even lower this year, look to the future and plan for success.

"It starts with you, it starts with me," he said. "What we model has huge reverberations. 'I see the future,' is where we should be going instead of into a black hole of looking backward. If you are feeling (negativity) up here, you don't think it's happening with your managers and employees?"

To help the group of retailers better understand how to implement positivity, he asked them to think about their top accomplishments and then give one word that helped them succeed. Most participants had similar answers ranging from dedication, planning and perseverance to confidence, vision and innovation.

"Incorporate these steps to have a better holiday season," Phibbs said. "When you come into work, what are you doing to set this in motion? What we focus on becomes reality."

Ultimately, Phibbs said he understands that retailers need to move products, but the only way to do that is to first move people. To move people, retailers must create an amusement park-like atmosphere for customers.

"We forget that your products are just the souvenirs, and when they don't move you start giving discounts," he said. "That's not working. You have to make (the experience) bright and fun. if people aren't willing to crawl naked through glass for your brand, it's over."

Creating such an environment isn't as difficult as one might expect – it's about people, not devices or the next Groupon deal, Phibbs said.

"All we are hearing about now is mobile and social media, but that's just another way to give yet another discount, so you'll come back and deal with our abandoned amusement park," Phibbs said. "I think retail is about people, and when we forget that, we're back down the rabbit hole."

To see an interview with Phibbs, click here.

For more information about customer experience, click here.