What does 'attention to detail' mean for garden centres. What is it and what makes it?
Most would agree attention to detail gives you a competitive advantage whether it’s in the general business arena, our personal lives or simply just the skill of organising.
'Attention to detail' was one of the observations fed back to us by a manager who attended the Garden Retail Success study tour for garden centres down under. It was organised by Hilton and Tracy, GRS Australia and those attending the two days were treated to examples of good retailing in Canberra and Sydney and a chance to network and share ideas.
What does 'attention to detail' mean for garden centres; what is it and what makes it?
Attention to detail is driven by the dedication and passion of the garden centre owner and senior management to follow through on the vision they have for the business.
It’s a holistic approach to how they manage rather than one or two elements such as the product range they offer
Retailers on our study tour were treated to inspired attention to detail at Grounds of Alexandria in Sydney, an innovative cafe space combining organic gardens and specialty coffee.
What are some of the benchmarks that underpin attention to detail?
- Understanding the benefits of a clearly defined brand and guiding your team with strategies to remain true to it.
- Understanding your Point of Difference, and building tangible, unique customer benefits that set you apart from other garden retailers
- Planned strategies to adapt to the ever-changing business environment, often disrupted by climatic and geological factors in our industry.
- Providing your team of people with the tools they need to do the job they’ve been employed to do, whether back office or on the shop floor.
- Believe in the importance of having good systems to manage and invest in them
- Build a solid reputation for quality and range
- Choose helpful people with a good work ethic to join your business. Invest in them to grow a friendly team that can dispense knowledgeable, well-chosen and friendly advice, eagerly helping customers with product selection and practical solutions
- Take personal pleasure in pleasing customers and your team will most likely follow your lead through everything they do around the garden centre to create a pleasurable customer experience
When you are genuinely proud of your own business, that pride engenders a caring attitude towards customers and to how the garden centre is presented. Helping customers to enjoy their gardening and achieve pleasure from their outdoor spaces engenders customer satisfaction.
They will show their appreciation by coming back again and again and they will recommend your garden centre as the place to shop and socialise.