"Operators have a tremendous opportunity right now as employees return to work. Employers are motivated to promote happiness among workers. This combination means that it is time for operators to come to the table with their best sales presentations and capitalize on a very favorable market condition,” said Steve Orlando, an experienced operator of 10 years who co-founded Fixturelite, the leading supplier of micro market retail displays, equipment and design tools.
Focus on design and quality
“Right now – office spaces are being renovated to entice, attract and retain talent – to bring them back into the office. In many cases, employers are paying subsidies or daily food allowances, which makes it even better,” he said. “Operators need to focus on doing things the right way. The emphasis needs to be on micro market design and quality. That combination is a differentiator today, because as we all know – anyone can provide 'vending on a shelf' and call it a micro market.”
Bring a team
“It is easy to miss out on rare times like these and that usually happens when an operator is unwilling to elevate their game,” Orlando said. “It helps to be able to show great examples of your prior work, to use interactive design tools, to have an experienced design team behind you, to tell numerous success stories and to use solid retail practices. We help operators take their game to the next level. That is why you want Fixturelite to be on your team.”
Same success story every time
“The story about how we provided support for Mike Purkey of Arizona Fresh, which helped him land a highly desirable account, is a perfect example of how Fixturelite can give an operator a competitive advantage,” said Orlando. “We have written about it before. It is the same story each time. Fixturelite listens to the client, brings out the design tool, gets the client involved in the design process, provides the design solution and our operator/partner takes it from there, focusing on the product and service side.”
“Vending on a shelf”
“We refer quite a bit to 'vending on a shelf' style micro markets,” said Orlando. “How many accounts does a 'vending on a shelf' operator need to lose to a company that works with us before they finally ask us for some help? To answer my own question – that number is usually three, rarely more. That is when the phone rings.”
Make your brand mean something
Studies show that having a brand for your market is a positive. “We have referred to the fact that your own brand for your micro market makes sense for so many reasons,” said Orlando. “You should be branding micro markets for the end user, for the decision-maker, for your own marketing efforts and for your company morale. Your employees will be proud to be a part of a brand that means something.”
Bait and switch
Troy Geis, Orlando’s co-founder at Fixturelite, said that operators who succeed are the ones who live up to their brand promise. “Too often, we end up in breakrooms that look nothing like what the brand promises on an operator's website or on the side of their truck,” he said.
Orlando said that brand dishonesty has ramifications. Clients do not appreciate ending up with a market that looks far different from what they expected. “We need to start thinking like the largest coffee retailers do. With those companies, you don't see different or drawn-down store signage, displays, artwork, cups, or aprons in a smaller town versus their store in New York City. The brand is consistent regardless of the location or the demographic. That is how a brand and a reputation for excellence is established,” he added.
Quality is the answer
As Geis points out, the defining characteristic of your brand goes way beyond a logo. “Make quality the one element that is behind your brand,” he said. “Quality that stems from design, well-merchandised displays, creative solutions, comfortable furniture and of course, thoughtful product selection.”
Capitalize with Fixturelite on your team. Visit www.fixturelite.com for more information.
