In the Puddin'

Experiencing Value - From A to "Z"

In the Puddin' - Brand New Series

A review of New Experiences in the Marketplace

I have a confession to make. I have been cleaning my clothes wrong for years.

It's painful to admit it, but even those who are totally obsessed with supporting organizations that are committed to transcending service and creating valuable consumer experiences, like myself, can accidentally support sub-standard service providers...by voting incorrectly with their wallet.

It is especially easy to do that in industries that are seen as 'task-oriented': the seemingly unglamorous necessities of life that 'just have to get done'. Like dry cleaning. Think about it. I bet you never catch yourself saying, "And today, I can't wait to go to the dry cleaners again." No way. Instead you probably say, "Somehow I have to get to the dry cleaners before they close today."

Even Hollywood acknowledges the drudgery of dealing with dry cleaners. Isn't it always the high-powered jerk of a boss that sends their spineless lackey to...pick up their dry cleaning?

And standard service providers constantly reinforce our dread with their approaches of "That's all we can do" or "I've been in the cleaning business for 25 years" or "Everybody in the business would tell you the same thing". Like any of that helps the consumer.

For years, I've been asking "So why don't you just...do better?" By the way, I get laughed at a lot by some service providers. And for years I've gone through dry cleaner after dry cleaner, had dozen of garments destroyed, driven miles out of my way, paid small ransoms in efforts to have a consistently positive dry cleaning experience.

It finally happened. I found a dry cleaner who actually knows they are in the business of servicing my needs more than laundering clothes. They know in order to build value, they have to solve all of the problems that surround dealing with my clothes, my schedule and my lifestyle. They know that letting me stay in control of my experience and allowing me to choose how I wish to experience their service is essential. They are Z Cleaners in Scottsdale, owned by innovative entrepreneur Gerilyn Philips and they are awesome.

Here's a review of their service:

Customer Service & Internal Commitment to Brand Promise (5 stars)

• Great team members - all of the desk agents are engaged, well-spoken, ask appropriate questions to identify customer needs and desires. Friendly and always say 'thank you'
• Hand inspection of garments - each garment is hand inspected to catch all of the little spots, frays, etc. that you shouldn't have to be responsible for finding
• Hand finished - none of the excuses of "Well, those lines are from how the machine presses it." The see-thru glass allows customers to see team members actually hand-finishing cuffs, collar and other tricky tasks to perfection
• Drive-thru portico - An Arizona plus. It takes about 30 seconds for a parked car to reach 700 degrees. At Z Cleaners, pull up in the portico and service comes to you while you sit in the comfort of your own air conditioning
• Free pick-up and delivery - Yes! Other cleaners have this service, but you will pay for it - literally. Major value through convenience.
• On-line scheduling of pick-up and delivery - Even better. If you are like me, organizing my to-do list happens at 10:00 at night when no one is around to answer the phone to schedule anything. On-line scheduling removes that obstacle.
• Shoe shine and repair - I'm so glad some place figured out that when I'm dealing with caring for my wardrobe, my shoes are just as important. So, as long as they are picking up and delivering my dry cleaning and laundry, they might as well take my shoes for shine and repair, too. WOW. That just saved me more time and hassle.
• Alterations - If it will be easy and convenient to have something altered or repaired, I may not need to purchase a replacement. More savings of money, time and hassle.
• Pro-active communication - This is great. The city began major road construction surrounding their store making access difficult. Z Cleaners sent out a pro-active email to all of its customers, advising them of the construction, providing the best route during construction and reminding people of delivery and the 24-hour valet system available (see next comment) to prevent unexpected frustration. Fantastic.
• 24-hour valet system - This is too cool. Think of it as an ATM for your cleaning. It is an automated machine that can be accessed from the exterior of their store to securely drop off or pick up clothes 24 hours a day. Very cool technology that just solved decades of panic to 'get there before they close'. Perfection.

Esthetic

(5 stars)

The emphasis on esthetics is placed on the physical matter that stays with the customer vs. the store itself, as many may opt for delivery or to use the 24-hour valet:

• Suit Presentation: Beautiful wood hangers that are 'bought back' by Z Cleaners for a 'no wire hangers' closet at all times
• Boxed packaging: For those who like their cleaning boxed, a beautiful presentation that looks more like the packaging of a high-end boutique than a traditional dry cleaners

Entertainment (3 stars)

• It's dry cleaning - Most customers wish to get in and out as quickly as possible and do not place much value on being entertained. Although, the 24-hour valet machine is strangely fun to watch...

  Educational (4 stars)

  • First time quote
  - The team takes note the first time a customer comes in and asks if they would like a quote of the cost of service. The customer is then educated as to their investment, removing the risk of unpleasant surprises or unmanaged expectations
  • On-line information
  - Their website is great - filled with detailed information of their process, products used, their distinctive difference and elite associations
  • Ask an expert on-line
  - For those who still desire more information, there is a portal on-line to ask a cleaning expert whatever you'd like to know

  Escapist (5 stars)

  • What better escape could there be than to escape the need to go to the cleaners at all? Thank you, Z Cleaners, for putting an end to my cleaning experience quest and for being a reminder that a great experience can be created from any consumer need. --Dolores McKay

  Overall Experience Rating: 4 1/2 stars

  5 stars: exceptional, 4 stars: excellent, 3 stars - good, 2 stars: below expectations, 1 star: needs work

  Z Cleaners

  16610 N Scottsdale Road

  Scottsdale, AZ 85254

  602 - CLEANERS

  www.zcleaners.com

The Whole Experience

In the Puddin'  - Brand New Series

A review of New Experiences in the Marketplace

Mama always said, "Don't go grocery shopping on an empty stomach - You'll buy everything in the store just because you're hungry."

Does that mean that grocery stores should hope that you are starving throughout your shopping experience with them? That would mean you will buy more, right? Actually, it seems grocery stores have decided quite contrarily over the years:

• First, grocery stores added deli counters for 'to go' sandwiches and boxed -lunch type items
• Next, was the addition of "hot deli items"  - dinner entrees and accompaniments that were hot, fully cooked and ready to go
• Then, came build-your-own soup and salad bars with casual seating within the store to eat right away
• And now, of course, coffee bars with pastries and perhaps smoothies are as common a thing in grocery stores today as a loaf of bread

Grocery stores have learned that a hungry shopper is a cranky shopper (a bad experience) and that instant gratification is prized by us all (a better experience). However, the provision of ready-to-eat food, table and chairs does not usually make an exceptional experience. That is, unless you have walked into Whole Foods Market in Scottsdale at Loop 101.

Whole Foods Market as an organization, prides itself on "Retail Innovation". Here is how they put it:

"We value retail experiments. Friendly competition within the company helps us to continually improve our stores. We constantly innovate and raise our retail standards and are not afraid to try new ideas and concepts."

Basically, that means that their core values are strong enough to alter the experience from one store to another without weakening the brand. It also means they are cool enough to take the big risks and really innovate outside of "what a grocery store should be like" to leverage these differentiations and create varied excitement & global knowledge- strengthening the overall brand. They are the mad scientists of the grocery business and have created a cool fusion between buying and enjoying food.

Here's a review of the north Scottsdale store:

Esthetic (5 stars)

An unbelievable array of experience points of contact to choose from, well spread out and beautifully presented - very impressive:

• Garden Center
• Coffee & Juice Bar
• Indoor Seating / Umbrella-covered Outdoor Seating
• Free Wireless Internet Area
• "WholeBody" Body Care & Wellness Education Materials
• "Smokehouse Grill" (see below)
• Wine Cellar
• Wine & Tapas Lounge
• "Asian Express" Sushi bar, tempura and Korean barbecue
• Brick oven Pizzeria
• Taqueria
• "Homemade" Gelato Bar
• Chocolatier Station
• Olive Bar / International Bar
• Salad / Prepared Food / Dessert Bar

On your way in, there is even a welcome letter from Trudye Webb, the store team leader(she even asks for more suggestions of what else they can do). On the other side, is a picture perfect "guide to the isles' - a map to find everything. Very Cool. Why doesn't every store do that?

Entertainment (3 stars)

• Chocolate Fountain: I know, I know. It's just melted chocolate bubbling over 3 tiers. Then why does everyone feel compelled to stare at it? If you are lucky, you will catch them hand-dipping a custom order of fruit, cookies or whatever (love that they do that).
• Small Mountain of Handmade Soaps: A sensorial buffet - a variety of intriguing colors, textures and engrossing scents to play with - unwrapped so you can enjoy the full effect

Educational (4 stars)

• Tasting Notes: for all wines sold by the glass and several for bottles
• Cheese Pairing notes: of the wonderful selection of cheeses they sell...to go with their wine they sell...fun, stress free and smart selling
• Complimentary Health and Wellness Guides: on nutrition needs for kids from K-College, on a dozen different health focuses, on supplements, on sustainable energy, on exercise. Clearly, they view empowering their consumers with knowledge a priority. Oh - they sell a bunch of books, magazines and some informative DVDs, too.

Escapist (5 stars)

• The Wine & Tapas Bar:  next to the retail wine cellar, a delightful menu of wines by the glass, international selection of gourmet cheese and charcuterie delicacies. Comfy couches, soft table lamps tucked away in a corner - you will completely forget you are in a grocery store. Attentive service that rivals that of any neighborhood wine bar in the area - at a fraction of the price (especially for the cheese...yum).
• Smokehouse Grill: next to the butcher's section, a pub-style eatery in which you can enjoy a variety of house-smoked meat menu items, burgers, etc. And of course to wash it down...beer (and root beer). TV screens with that moment's best games float above the marble counter tops and barstools to enjoy.

Customer Service & Internal Commitment to Brand Promise (5 stars)

• Consistently attentive service from team members that are considerate and engaged
• A sense of genuine pride is present - they seem to believe in the products they sell and the leadership that guides them
• I have only had 1 negative service encounter in my many visits to their store. Without prompting (that's half the battle right there) management involved themselves, apologized, repaired the situation and showed goodwill. That's what I'm talking about. Nobody's perfect. But when leadership pro-actively takes responsibility and tells the customer, "We should have done better than that - That's not how we do business, " Well, that tells me those corporate values are real to them - And that's a rare thing of beauty. --Dolores McKay

Overall Experience Rating: 4 1/2 stars

5 stars: exceptional, 4 stars: excellent, 3 stars - good, 2 stars: below expectations, 1 star: needs work

Whole Foods Market

7111 E. Mayo Blvd.

Phoenix, AZ 85054

480-515-3777

www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Fetching Experiences

In the Puddin' - Brand New Series

A review of New Experiences in the marketplace

There is no question that Scottsdale, AZ places a strong focus on shopping. Shopping of all kinds. In fact, many of the major areas of Scottsdale are defined by the shopping district: Kierland, Promenade, Scottdale 101, Greenway-Hayden Loop, Fashion Square, Old Town & SouthBridge, etc.

Although there is no shortage of stores and an increasing number of boutique shops, finding a retail establishment that provides a complete experience is still challenging. There is a boutique at SouthBridge that provides a complete experience for their patrons particularly well at SouthBridge. It is a boutique and spa that is only 5 months old, very small, and completely for the dogs. Literally.

Oh My Dog! Boutique & Spa, innovated by owner, Jackie Bacha, incorporates all Five Senses and "4 E's" (as defined by experience design authors Pine & Gilmore) to staging effective and valuable experiences. Utilizing her genuine love for dogs and the inspiration of her muse, Penelope, (her pet toy poodle of 10 years) Jackie goes beyond the platform of 'store' and has created a place of impressive experiences for pups and their owners to share that is truly distinctive and adds value to the SouthBridge community.

Esthetic (4 stars)

Jackie does a great job with the small, physical space of her shop. Oh My Dog is street level on Stetson Drive with an all-glass storefront, giving everyone that passes a clear view of the wide variety of high-end pet retail smartly displayed:

• Detailed, fashionable couture displayed on hangers built into the walls (just like their owners shop for their own clothes)
• Luxurious pet furniture that puts a lot of human furniture to shame
• Customizable collars and harnesses built for style and comfort with optional 'bling'
• A full line of body & fur care products of spa quality - The aromatheraphy scents are top notch
• On-line web experience and shopping coming in just a few days

Entertainment (4 stars)

• Playthings by: "Pawda" , "Sniffany & Co.", & "Chewy Vuitton" - the list of clever discoveries go on...
• A glassed bakery counter displays a variety of painstakingly detailed, human-grade edible works of art. Special ordered from NYC's Buttercup Patisserie, choosing from 'the menu' is great fun
• Canine Ambassadors: Penelope and her new 'big-little' brother (a full-sized chocolate brown poodle puppy) might be the best Directors of First Impressions I have ever met. Many patrons confess coming to the shop on a regular basis simply to spend time with Penelope and her brother
• This is So Cool: Fashion Shows - Collaborating with The Garage, a body shop for kids, children show off their fashions while walking their doggies down the runway (also sporting the latest designs)

Educational (4 1/2 stars)

• Training 101: doggy social time and conversation with canine behavior consultants
• Way Cool: Cooks Offs - patrons learn to make their own dog food from professional chefs
• Very Cool: DOGA - classes of Yoga for dogs and their owners to perform together. Well-attended for the fun (downward facing dog taken to new levels...)

Escapist (5 stars)

• Complete grooming and spa treatments: Master Groomer Susan Boron  provides over a dozen high quality services to Scottsdale's finest pooches including the coveted 'Fur Butter treatment and paw massage'. Apparently, some of the more glamorous clients enjoy a finishing of colors 'pawlish' and spritz of fur glitter. Gotta love Scottsdale.
• Cool, Cool, Cool: Painting Pups - Where your dog actually becomes an artist. Your dog paints a picture to take home while professional artists have the opportunity to paint a picture of your dog.
• Beyond Cool: Girls Night Out - Enjoy muttinis and create a one-of-a-kind necklace or charm for your pooch from designer / artist Nancy Gallop.

Customer Service & Internal Commitment to Brand Promise (5 stars)

Thank you, Jackie - for creating a disruptive, new experience that adds value to the Scottsdale shopping scene and community. --Dolores McKay

Overall Experience Rating: 4 1/2 stars

5 stars: exceptional, 4 stars: excellent, 3 stars - good, 2 stars: below expectations, 1 star: needs work

Oh My Dog! Boutique and Spa

7137 E. Stetson Drive, Suite 8-9

Scottsdale, AZ 85254

480-874-1200

www.OHMYDOGBOUTIQUE.com