Here in Settle where Hearth Group is based we have a fantastic little store called Trevor’s Market Shop. Trevor started out as a market trader in Settle, but decided to make the jump indoors a few years ago. His customers followed him because he knows them. In fact, he doesn’t just know his customers – he understands them. This is because he takes the time to talk to each and every customer. Therefore, he always has the right products in at the right time, and at the right price. He will even let you know what else is going on in Settle if he thinks it will interest you. How many larger retailers can claim to do this so consistently for their customers?
The famous Ken Morrison was also a retailer who knew and understood his customers. Whilst in Trevor’s I got talking to a lady who knew Mr Morrison back when he was in the earliest days of Morrisons and lived in the next village to her. So keen was he to please his shoppers that he would ask them how they wanted the shop laid out, where the aisles should go and what should be on them. Powerful insight was gained in an uncomplicated way – by talking to people, getting to know them and understanding their needs.
There’s a reason why many of these great retailers struggle to make the jump from one store to many, and it’s the same reason why small producers struggle to make the leap into big retail. Insight into markets, consumers and customers is key. When you’re little you can take the time to talk to every person who buys your products, but after a while you grow so that you lose touch. You focus on logistics, on product specifications, on packaging and sales. You might not have called it ‘insights’ but you knew what it was. It was the soul of your brand and products.
Delivering quality insights is what we do for when you’re ready to take the next step, or when you’ve already taken that next step but you don’t want to lose touch with your new, larger customer base. We take your customer base, and squeeze out the clever things that help you gain the edge on your competition or get the growth you want on a larger scale. It doesn’t replace the conversations you have with your customers at markets, but it compliments those conversations by placing them in the context of the bigger picture. And yes, sometimes it might throw up something you didn’t want to hear but sometimes those tough messages are needed to help your business grow.
Gaining insight into customer and consumer needs doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. The potential of good insight into your customers’ needs shouldn’t be underestimated, but to gain the greatest benefits out of insight it needs to be done properly.
For more ino on Hearth Group visit hellohearth.com