What makes a retail superstar? from PMA magazine

Make your business unique, says George Whalin

“What makes great retailers? How are they different from others?” asked PMA 2010 Official Business Session speaker George Whalin, author of the book, “Retail Superstars.” His presentation is featured in the April issue of PMA Magazine – Connecting the Imaging Communities.

“If you have a small business that is not distinguishable from your competitors, you are going to struggle,” Whalin said.

There are many ways to stand out – such as having a unique store design, an unusual selection of merchandise, a major commitment to employee training and development, unrivaled customer service or a revolutionary business model. Each store Whalin profiled in his book differentiates itself in one of those ways. They all offer remarkable customer service. They all share another trait as well. They don’t care what the competition is doing. In-stead, these superstar retailers focus on what is happening in their own businesses.

Whalin gave several examples of retail superstars, and shared what they have done to become wildly successful.

Gallery Furniture, Houston, Texas, is owned by Jim McIngvale, better known as “Mattress Mack.” Being a tireless promoter, offering free meals to customers and employees – prepared by a professional chef – every day, and providing a same-day delivery (almost unheard of for a furniture store), have helped Mattress Mack generate $150 million in annual sales. His community involvement and charity work have benefited him as well. Mattress Mack is so beloved in the Houston area, when his business caught fire, 32 fire departments showed up to save the store.

Jungle Jim’s International Market Inc., Fairfield, Ohio, is a 300,000 square-foot emporium selling 150,000 different foods from 75 countries, including 1,400 cheeses, 12,000 vintage wines, and 1,400 varieties of hot sauce. In addition to the massive selection, the store is unique for the experience it provides. There is a real fire truck atop the hot sauce display, and a real yacht in the fish department. Entrances to the bathrooms look like construction site port-a-potties; but through those plastic doors are elegant, well-appointed lavatories that actually won the “America’s Best Restroom” award from the Cintas Corp. Not to be outdone by his environment, owner Jim Bonaminio often walks the aisles decked out in a wizard costume, a jungle suit, or a fireman’s uniform.

Berings, a store in Houston, Texas, started as a lumber yard, and then grew to a hardware store. In time, by responding to customer needs, the store morphed into an indescribable business that still sells hardware, but also high-end coffee, furniture, children’s clothes, gourmet foods, home furnishings and Montblanc pens. “Walk through a mall and you will see the same crap in every store,” Whalin said. “There is no difference; but Berings is very different. They provide what their customers want – and their customers love them.”

Abt Electronics, an independent store in Chicago, Ill., has grown to 350,000 square feet, and will do $300 million in business this year. Unlike any other consumer electronics retailer, Abt is a gorgeous store with marble flooring throughout; but more than the store’s beauty, customers respond to the retailer’s extraordinary service. For example, people ordering online can call an Abt employee for help at any point to be walked through the ordering process.

“If you’re buying a digital camera online, you can download a white paper from their site that will tell you what features to look for – even if you don’t buy it from them,” Whalin said. Such features have led to $50 million in online sales per year. The store also is dedicat-ed to having a knowledgeable staff, and is constantly teaching its employees.

No service is farmed out, Whalin said. “They even deliver and service everything they sell. When employees deliver a purchase, they are dressed nicely, with no metal in their faces; they are polite and professional, and they clean up after themselves,” Whalin said.

He challenged the audience to go home and think about the opportunities in their businesses. “Don’t pay attention to the media,” he warned. “They’ll make you want to jump off a building. Just pay attention to what you’re doing. The opportunities are out there for anyone who wants to grow their business.”