BRING ON THE STORYTELLERS !.

Brands are living entities and rely on the ability of management and staff to create an ‘experience’ rather than a collection of products or services. Front line employees are important brand ambassadors – training them to be confident, motivated, accessible and professional in this role is essential to adding value in an economic environment that can easily confuse ‘cheap’ for ‘value’.

Value is an  ‘elastic’ perception -  combining the elements like quality, service, innovation, environment, engagement, emotion and price. Confident well trained staff, proficient in conversational selling techniques, are best positioned to relate the stories behind products and services that engage potential customers and deliver worthwhile sales.

Oftentimes the story of the product is the true differentiator in the consumer’s mind – it’s provenance, the craft with which it was made, the innovation it leverages to improve lives and lifestyles.

Bask in heritage when you can, boast of craftsmanship and bring on the storytellers.

Eddie Shanahan – Associate @ MH Consultancy

SMILE THOUGH YOUR HEART IS BREAKING !.

All around there is disharmony, people blaming someone else. It is easy to blame the media….and yes to a certain extent they are to blame for an apparent belief that good news does not sell newspapers. But many retailers are to blame too.

 The consumer wants us to provide the confidence, assurance and motivation that will give him or her permission to buy again. With record savings in Ireland worth billions of euros the consumer wants us to earn our money by delivering real value. This means giving serious consideration to every aspect of our retail propositions – service, services, quality, innovation, communication, environment, staff development, product range and price.

The consumer’s wallet may be dormant for now but his or her taste, developed and honed over recent years of indulgence, lives on !.  Relying on price alone to satisfy consumer ‘hunger’ will not pay the necessary dividends .

That is not to say that price is not a major issue in the current environment – it is – but it has risen through lack of confidence in retailers (especially the johnnie-come-latelys) to deliver real quality, service and value.

Because only one retailer in a town can be the cheapest, because only one retailer in a market sector can be the cheapest – issues like quality, choice, service, trust become real points of competitive differentiation.

Unfortunately retailers too have been merchants of doom. That must change. Retailers need to become the new motivators by positively welcoming customers and communicating choice, service, imagination and real value, especially as we approach Christmas trading.

A smile and a greeting would be a good start.

Eddie Shanahan – Associate @MH Consultancy

The S…ting with criticism

As coaches and leadership development consultants we pride ourselves in helping others understand the efficacy of giving and receiving feedback. I am often quoted as saying feedback is a gift and people are starved of feedback especially in organisational life.

It is interesting then to note how defensiveness with regard to feedback shows up especially when it comes out of nowhere or is a complete surprise.

Any criticism can be hard to accept. But surprise feedback — criticism that seems to come from nowhere, about an issue we haven’t perceived ourselves — is the hardest. We’re far more likely to be defensive.

Because it’s not just about admitting, it’s about perceiving. Before we can accept something, we have to become aware of it. Feedback that comes without warning is particularly hard to digest.

That kind of feedback exposes you to yourself, which is why it is both tremendously unsettling and exceptionally valuable. It’s also why our defensiveness is so predictable and so counterproductive. The things we most need to hear are often the things we defend against hearing the most.

To take in surprise criticism more productively, we need a game plan. As you listen to the criticism and your adrenaline starts to flow, pause, take a deep breath, and:

Look beyond your feelings. We call it constructive criticism and it usually is. But it can also feel painful, destabilizing, and personal.

Notice, and acknowledge — to yourself — your feelings of hurt, anger, embarrassment, insufficiency, and anything else that arises. Recognize the feelings — label them even — and then put them aside so the noise doesn’t crowd out your hearing.

Look beyond their delivery. Feedback is hard to give, and the person offering criticism may not be skilled at doing it well. Even if the feedback is delivered poorly, it doesn’t mean it’s not valuable and insightful. Not everything will be communicated in “I” statements, focused on behaviors, and shared with compassion. Avoid confusing the package with the message.

Don’t agree or disagree. Just collect the data. If you let go of the need to respond, you’ll reduce your defensiveness and give yourself space to really listen. Criticism is useful information about how someone else perceives you. Make sure you fully get it.

That means asking questions to further explore what you’re being told. Probe, solicit examples, play the devil’s advocate, pushing the criticism back on itself, in the spirit of understanding it more fully.

Later, with some distance, decide what you want to do. Data rarely forces action, it merely informs it. Recognizing that the decision, and power, to change is up to you will help you stay open.

Once you’ve got some time, space, and grounding, think about what you heard — what the data is telling you — and make choices about if, what, and how, you want to change.

Sometimes, you’ll choose to change your behavior.

But sometimes, you’ll decide not to change your behavior. That perhaps, you’re better off staying the same and changing your surroundings or your clients.

Criticism can be an incredible gift, a field guide for acting with impact in the world. All we need is enough patience and presence to hear it.

Tara Nolan – Associate @ MH Consultancy

The search for a point of difference is one that takes retailers all over the world. Many of them, especially those in the gift and fashion accessory sectors, need not look further than our own incredibly talented craftspeople.

Too often they are dismissed as being too ethnic, too dear and not design focussed. Retailers who invest time in meeting many of Ireland’s leading craft jewellers, ceramicists and accessory designers will find a treasure trove of original ideas, wonderful creativity and a willingness to work in partnership with retailers during the current difficult economic climate . I know, I meet these craftspeople regularly.

Just this past weekend I met almost 40 creative jewellers, textile artists and leather workers – all of a standard that would be revered as artists in many other European countries.

The charge that Irish craft is expensive can now be readily dismissed – it’s holistic value is a combination of skill, quality, creativity, presentation and price.

Eddie Shanahan – Associate @ MH Consultancy

Mischa Barton

Who is Mischa Barton? She was born in Hammersmith West London on the 24^th January 1986 to an Irish mother and English father she has two sisters Hania and Zoe.   When she was four years of age her family moved to New York where her father took a job in Wall Street.  She likes to be thought of as an “English – Irish girl who grew up in New York”.   In NYC she commenced working as a child model and took acting classes in summer camp she was then spotted by a talent agent and got her first professional break in 1994 on stage in Broadway, after which followed a long line of film, television, music videos and production roles.  Mischa shot to fame playing the role of Marissa Cooper in the OC in 2003 winning awards in 2004 and 2006 – she has also modelled for Calvin Klein, Iceberg, Monsoon Accessorize, Morgan de Toi, and endorsed Chanel Jewellery.  She designed a headband line in the States and a handbag line for the London based company Ri2K which is sold in Europe, Australia and soon to be launched on the American market.  (How old is this girl? Only 24 years of age!)

Mischa is known for her own individual style which is very eclectic; she loves the Thirties and Forties and also the Sixties and Seventies influences with plenty of vintage.  She collects vintage rock tee-shirts mostly of her favourite bands like The Eagles, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.  In relation to bags she looks for pockets that are functional, she tends to carry really large bags to throw everything into or little purses just to carry credit cards and chapstick!

(Visit Mischa Barton Handbag Collection on Facebook and give it the thumbs up!)  

Mhairi Roche – Associate @ Mh Consultancy

In the current difficult economic environment our businesses need to be ones where the consumer finds the whole to be greater than the sum of it’s parts.  Where all the elements – range, quality, environment, presentation, innovation, communication and customer service – support and accent each other and give the customer confidence and permission to buy.

It is vital to audit the dynamic from time to time to ensure that our businesses are effectively “firing on all cylinders” and that each part of our value proposition is in sync with our brand values.

Eddie Shanahan – Associate @ MH Consultancy

Biba!

As I was flicking through the September issue of Vogue I came across the famous gold and black art deco inspired logo of Biba which was an iconic London fashion store of the 1960s and 1970s (of course before my time!) but I had heard so much about the “Big Biba” which was created by Polish-born fashion designer Barbara Hulanicki .  In 1974 the Biba store moved into a seven story department store located in Kensington high street which attracted up to a million customers weekly.  There were many different departments and each floor had its own theme, the store had an Art Deco- interior reminiscent of the golden age of Hollywood and many non- traditional displays throughout, the main windows were blacked out never exhibiting any merchandise which added to Biba’s art nouveau atmosphere.  The “Rainbow Restaurant” located on the fifth floor became a cool hang-out for artists, film stars and rock musicians, including Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Marianne Faithful among the regulars. Also located on the rooftop of the Store was the Kensington Roof Gardens which are still there to-day not to mention the beautiful (real life!) flamingos.

The store sold affordable mini-skirts (Biba was responsible for putting the mini skirt on the High Street and all associated with them), floppy felt hats, feather boas, satin and embossed velvet trouser suits with an occasional hint of fake leopard and unsex dyed t-shirts.  Women over thirty years old shopping or working in the Biba store were considered old! – among the employees at one point was a young Anna Wintour, later editor of Vogue.

Biba was the first store that let customers try makeup before buying it; women came to the store before work with no makeup on, put it on in Biba and then went off to work.

Sadly Biba closed its doors in 1976 but the name lives on through the designs of Barbara Hulanicki supplying Topshop with collections featuring billowing chiffon dresses and blouses reminiscent of the original Biba style the collection has been extremely successful for Topshop.

 Hulanicki is quoted as saying “There is very little difference to-day as opposed to the 70’s, although there is much more choice now.  Both periods share the same enthusiasm, if you press the right buttons.”

 Mhairi Roche – Associate @ MH Consultancy

A QUESTION OF VALUE.

Only one retailer can be the cheapest in town -  so is a relentless focus on price alone going to deliver customers now and into the future?.

Surely the important question right now is – where do we want to be when the recession ends ?.

Do we want to emerge as the down at heel retailer of goods or services who put everything into low price and nothing into product and service development ?.

Or do we want to think like customers…..customers who dream of emerging from the recession to treat themselves again, to shop for quality in an atmosphere where they are valued and where service is delivered so naturally …it is just like breathing ?.

If so then we must realise that value is ‘elastic’ and comprises quality, service, environment, presentation, innovation and price……and we must ensure that all these elements are finely balanced so as to ensure an engaging customer experience.

We can go on struggling in an undifferentiated and increasingly disenfranchised traditional middle market if we like – caught between a rock and a hard place, between luxurious seduction and devastating prices.  If that is our choice, with increasing and powerful low cost competition – margins will continue to decrease with inevitable consequences …..or we can put some serious effort into becoming distinctive and innovative in our offer and services, considerate and consistent in our customer service, innovative and engaging in our presentation to mark ourselves out from less motivated and often less experienced retailers who wait despondent for some divine deliverance.

Eddie Shanahan Associate @MH Consultancy.

Bags of Classic Style!

The trend for this autumn/ winter is elegant, classic and chic bags which are the new order of the day – gone are the flashy logos & super-sized designs, in their place this season discover styles in beautiful leathers and clever synthetics with practical hardware & snap closures.  Bags are simple, streamlined and dare I say “practical”.   Come evening dust – bags will sparkle and shine with plenty of crystals, chains & rhinestones on both elongated and vintage clutches.

Colours for this autumn/winter season will be neutrals through to grey and black, highlight shades of blues, greens and purples, along with a palette of yellow to the deepest brown & sweet pinks straight through to pillar box red.

Some of the hot styles to seek out in the shops this season are messenger and satchels, hobo, tote, bowler, east west grab, foldover shopper, drawstring and ladylike frame bags to mention a few!…….

(To see some hot off the press images take a look at Mischa Barton and Ameko autumn winter collections on MH Consultancy website.)  

There are so many brands to choose from the designer level Louis Vuitton, Dior, Jimmy Choo, Mulberry, Chloe and so forth, to more affordable brands like Guess, Fiorelli, Ted Baker, Love Moschino, and Mischa Barton not to mention the strength of the high street multiples for budget versions River Island, Urban outfitters etc., so who or where ever you choose to select your bag of the season enjoy, enjoy, enjoy wearing that beautiful bag!

Happy shopping!

Mhairi Roche – Associate @MH Consultancy.

It is easy to blame the government, the weather, the economy, landlords, even the consumer for the difficulties currently experienced by the retail sector. Much blame can rightly be apportioned to certain of these. Blame however is really about history, whereas opportunity lies in the future.

What does the future hold ? or rather what plans are we making as retailers for the future ?. Where do we want to be when the recession ends ?. How are we going to steal market share?.

Retailing seems as changeable as the weather to many these days – they are usually the ones who entered the sector in the boom years believing it was easy. Some of us know different. The principles of good retailing have always been the same – customer focus, excellent service, good working relationships with suppliers, thorough staff training, an accessible environment and informative presentation which coupled with a fair price wrap up the elastic perception of value.

It is true to say that basic concept of the right product, in the right place, at the right time, with the right promotion and at the right price has been updated to include innovation, imagination, presentation, engagement and seduction to the retail marketing mix – but the customer is still king and we make money serving his or her dreams first. That is how to make money to fulfil our own.

Eddie Shanahan – Associate @ MH Consultancy