Ease and Logic
This is going to be a big winner for big and small brands alike and simplicity is it's key.
Think of all the things that annoy you, frustrate you or generally waste your time when you're out and about. These are the items that brands are starting to tackle head-on as they have realised that if they can make it easier for us, we will show loyalty and spread the word.
We all like it when we feel that somewone has really thought about 'me' and made our lives easier. That's what 'Ease and Logic' is all about.
Take a restaurant for example, why is it that asking for the bill always seems so awkward? May be because it interrupts the fun that you are sharing with friends, you know you're going to have to potentially split it 5 ways, which is going to test your mathematical skills (never the best after consuming several bottles of red!) and it spells the beginning of the end of the night. So how does and brand tackle this as you can't just let guest walk out without paying? Up pops Inamo again with their interactive tables. You simply request the bill through the projection and whether you're paying individually or as a group and voila! over comes the waiter.
What about spending an evening in a bar/pub? What's the most frustrating thing here? Ordering another round perhaps? After all, you have to leave your friends, potentially miss out of the next joke and try desperately for the next half hour to catch the attention of the barman who will serve you when he is good and ready! Well next time you go to Amsterdam, visit Mini Bar. Here you get your own personalised minibar with you're own code, loaded with all your favourite drinks right next to you. At the end of the evening you simply hand back your code and settle your bill. Genius!
OK, something totally different, a toaster. Ever burnt your toast in the morning because you don't trust the dial and have popped it up too soon, only to put it back down then forgotten to recheck? If only you could see the toast as it is being cooked....Eureka!
For anyone that is a parent or has had the pleasure of baby sitting for the day, you'll know how important it is to get out and about. You'll also know how hard it can be! Public Transport, store layouts, even toilets can be a nightmare. John Lewis have for a long time realised this and have ensured it is part of their brand. Offering great changing facilities and generally being children friendly has made it a clear favourite amongst shoppers with children.
Consider new innovations such as Visa Contactless payments and Oyster. These offer new and easier ways to pay for products and services and could definitely speed up queuing times for both low and medium spends. But how else could they be used to create a unique experience that differentiates you over your competition?
Generally, ease and logic can be applied to every strand of a brand's touch points. People want larger, easy to read text so they can make their choices or navigate quicker. Brighter lights so they can actually see what they are eating or wearing. Hooks on the underside of a bar for customers to hang their coats on. Seats to rest on and toilets to... well, you get the idea.
Whether it's clever use of technology, retraining of staff, a change in operations or simply opening our eyes to the things we try so desperately to ignore, these can be quick winners with little cost implications that will help make your brand stand out. And more than likely, you're the one who needs to look around to realise what these opportunities are. After all, we all know our own businesses and probably already know the questions.
Remember, the best ideas always seem like they have been around forever and are so simple that surely someone must have already done them. Chances are, they haven't and that's why they are the best ones!
No comments:
Post a Comment