Beyond Just Table Stakes

Bill McCurry

The small town art museum was kept open by an annual donation from an affluent patron. Each December the museum director visited this donor to report the year’s increase in attendance and pick up the essential check. This year was different. The museum director talked about the innovative exhibits, the new paint jobs in various areas and the ongoing energy conservation program. But then the donor asked a difficult question. “Every year you tell me attendance is growing and then ask for funding. How much did attendance grow this year?” The museum director mumbled, “It was down 35 percent.” Stunned, the patron asked what had happened. In almost a whisper the director said, “Free public toilets were opened in the playground across the street.”

How many garden centers know the real reason their customers come to them? We want to believe it’s because our plants are better, our service is supreme and our knowledge is unbeatable. What would our customers say?

Many consumers will tell us, “It’s a break in my day to come here and enjoy the beauty” or “The smells and atmosphere calm me down.” Contrast this to other comments like, “You’re closest to my house”—or worse, “My usual place is so busy there’s no convenient parking available and I can always park here.”

An old school garden center owner attended a convention and came home with “seminar breath.” He installed a large working fountain with benches on a shady knoll adjacent to his parking lot. The first summer and fall he had customers come with their lunches to just enjoy the tranquility. When two parents shopped with kids, one would take the children to play on the hill, while the other attended to shopping. He did observe regular traffic to the fountain and surrounding area and he heard positive comments from regulars and their friends.

After a few years, the owner lost interest because he couldn’t tie any direct sales of fountains, landscaping or even plants to the exhibit. Finally, one spring the regulars returned and the fountain was full of leaves. Soon the fountain entrance was blocked. Four years later the garden center closed for good.

What causes a garden center to lose interest in a good attraction? Some of us have the “shiny object syndrome.” We’re excited about something new, ignoring the tried-and-true elements that resonate with customers. Sometimes we view upkeep as a “cost center” rather than a “profit center.”

The Garden Corner (Tualatin, Oregon) had over 24 fountains flowing on my last visit. The tranquility of the running water (and wind chimes!) enticed you to keep wandering along the paths. Would 12 fountains or 36 fountains have been worse/better? Who knows? What we do know is customers enjoy wandering the well-kept, always dry and safe boardwalk winding through the natural vegetation, plants, chimes and fountains. The immaculate fountains reflect the culture owner Jonn “J-dog” Karsseboom has established and nurtured. The traffic to his garden center would indicate it pays off.

This isn’t to say ambiance alone will ensure success. Today, superior quality product and outstanding service are the table stakes. The successful retailer must go beyond that. Do you know the real reason customers come to you? What do they value about your store? If the answer is “I’m nearby,” it spells trouble. Location isn’t a sustainable competitive advantage. Competitors can move into your neighborhood. Whether it’s ambiance, creative and inspiring displays, refreshing smells, over-the-top community response or a quiet retreat away from the daily grind, you need to know the specific reasons that bring people to your garden center.

This year, make it a goal to determine what your customers really value. Then deliver it to them—consistently, expertly and without interruption. GP

Bill would love to hear from you with questions, comments or ideas for future columns. Please contact him at wmccurry@mccurryassoc.com or (609) 688-1169.