Owner of MBK Design Studio Stewart Woodruff says the solution to operating at the highest level of retail is to ask yourself, ‘what would the best showroom do?’

I have recently taken control of my parents’ finances and registered my Power of Attorney.

That process, and dealing with the various bank institutions, has renewed my passion for better customer service.

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The difficulties I experienced have really made me consider the customer path in my business. And I want to do better.

I also recently thought about a well-known florist on the South Coast who, when challenged at a business meeting to up his game, decided that the way forward was to follow the thinking ‘what would the best florist in the world do?’

That process is the same in any business and that thinking can change the way you conduct your business.

It can be as far reaching as you want, or it can just be on your customer’s sale journey.

World’s best web

Before you do anything, whether it is marketing or how you operate your showroom, you should ask yourself that question.

Now, I know that my showroom will never be pristine, quite the contrary, so I concentrate on the initial contact, the process I use to get potential customers to contact me.

Having had a new website built, my third in less than 10 years, the aim was to ensure it was the best website in the world.

That is probably nigh on impossible but I would be happy for it to be the best in my county, at least better than my competitors.

I had to believe I was creating  a website that would encourage potential clients to come and visit me and to see me as an expert in the field.

I had to design my website to drive customers through my door – not on price but on knowledge.

I needed browsers to know my ethos, what type of products I sell, and what results I can provide for them.

I wanted to prequalify them , so that when we spoke they would understand what I was prepared to provide and what they could expect from me.

Be the best

Emily Rowland’s article Tackling the Retail Giants was absolutely on point.

To beat the larger companies, we have to be better than them – provide a better service and be attentive to customers’ wishes.

Too many large companies believe they are doing their clients a favour by providing them with a quick service at a price.

But let’s not forget these are major purchases and their buying journey will be an emotional one.

Consumers are recreating their dreams with your help and they want you to understand that and feel it too.

All potential customers are not really interested in what you can offer, they want to know what you can do for them.

It’s their money, their purchase and they they want it to be special.

Customer service is king; neglect it and your business will suffer.

I am not the best. I freely admit that. But as long as I keep thinking of ways to make the customer path better, then the service I can provide will benefit both me and my clients.