23 April 2009
About Town |
| Liverpool was founded as a borough in 1207
and was granted city status in 1880.
Liverpool has a population of 439,473.
In 2004, property developer Grosvenor started
the Paradise Project, a £920 million development
centered on Paradise Street. Since renamed
Liverpool One, it opened in May 2008.
Liverpool was the first city outside of London
to be granted the right to award the prestigious
blue plaque to its buildings.
Liverpool Football Club is the only English city
to have staged top division football every single
season since the formation of the Football League
in 1888. |
A good reason to go for Blu-ray
 IN SEARCH of a Blu-ray player, I visited the Sony Centre
on Paradise Street.
There were two models on display – the BDP-S550 was on
sale at £299·99, while the BDP-S350 was priced at £229·99.
After a few moments of browsing, I was approached by
Adam, who asked if I needed any help. I explained that I had
read so much about Blu-ray and I now wanted to buy a player.
He pointed at the BDP-S550, which he said was the better
specified model. He said it featured Profile 2.1 technology.
“It’s wireless,” he explained, “you can connect it to the
internet and you can download additional features for it. You can
download upcoming trailers.”
He said the BDP-S350 model was “just a player really” and he
said the higher model had been most popular.
I asked if the picture quality is that much better than DVD.
“Four times better,” he said. “It can hold four times more data
than DVDs.”
He pointed to four TVs, which were showing a Blu-ray disc.
Pointing to one TV, he told me that it would have a better
picture, because “it’s a better TV”.
I was impressed by the picture quality and asked how I’d
connect a Blu-ray player to my TV. “Through HDMI cables or HD
components,” Adam said. I look puzzled and Adam explained
that I’d need an HD-ready TV.
I asked if the store was running any packages.
Adam pointed to a 40in TV (KDL-40Z4500), which was on sale
at £1,799·99. He pointed out that it was a 200Hz set, which would
come bundled with a free BDP-S350 Blu-ray player.
I asked Adam if the store could bundle the BDP-S550 instead.
At that point, Andrew, the store manager, called Adam over.
Initially, I was not happy as I was being served by Adam.
However, after a minute or so Adam returned.
Adam said: “It’s £70 extra to get the BDP-S550, but the
manager’s just said if you want to go for it today, I can do it
free.” I thanked Andrew for his offer.
I asked for some information on the TV and Adam printed out
a spec sheet from the Sony website.
Andrew confirmed that the store had the TV in stock, while a
delivery later that day would have Blu-ray players on it.
Summary: I very much enjoyed my visit to the Sony Centre.
Adam gave me a reason to buy Blu-ray and I liked the way
Andrew offered me a better package deal if I bought on that
particular day.
Score: 10 out of 10 |
Louise brews up a recipe for success
 I WANTED to buy a new coffee machine, so headed to the
John Lewis store in the Liverpool One development.
Three Nespresso machines caught my eye. The Krups Essenza
was priced at £155, the Magimix M100 was £129 and the Magimix
M100 was £159. The department was very busy with customers.
After a short while, bubbly Louise approached me and asked if I
needed any help. She started by asking me a number of questions
concerning my coffee drinking habits and she explained that a pod
machine offered fresh coffee every time.
She said: “The coffee pods go along the conveyor belt and
it seals, so you’re getting fresh, ground coffee every time. With
instant coffee, every time you open the jar, the coffee is going off.”
Louise told me that with Nespresso, the coffee works out at
about 28p a cup. “Coffee supplies,” Louise said, “can be purchased
online or over the telephone.” She explained how the Aeroccino
milk frother worked and showed me how easy the machines were
to clean.
Louise then said: “If I can find a coffee pod, do you want to make
a coffee?” I told her I’d love to. “You’re going to have to work for
this,” she joked. She went off to get some fresh water and a coffee
pod. She asked her colleague which was the best coffee and she
returned with a Levanto pod.
She plugged the Magimix M100 machine in and instructed me on
how to use it. After drinking a lovely coffee, I asked Louise for some
more information on the Nespresso machines and she printed off
spec sheets from the John Lewis website.
I told her that I would go away and decide which machine would
be right for my needs. “If you call this afternoon, you’ll be able to
pick it up tomorrow,” she said.
Summary: Louise was very good. By asking a number of questions,
she ascertained my requirements and was able to match those
with three Nespresso machines. I liked the way that she put me at
the heart of the demonstration. By doing the demo myself, I could
see just how easy using the product would be.
Score: 10 out of 10 |
In the frame for an SLR
 I WENT into the Currys.digital store looking
to buy my fi rst digital SLR camera.
Steve was serving a customer and started to
browse the products on display.
I immediately spotted two cameras – the
Nikon D300, which was priced at £999·98, and
the Canon EOS40D, which was on sale at £849.
When he had finished serving his customer,
I explained to Steve that I was interested in
buying a digital SLR.
He pointed out that the Nikon model I’d seen
did not come with a lens. He handed me the
Canon model to try, explaining that the 17-85mm
lens on the camera “had a good range”.
I asked Steve if there were any other cameras
he would recommend and he picked up the
Nikon D90VR, which was priced at £799·99.
“It’s a 12 megapixel camera,” he said. “It
has a higher pixel count than the Canon and
it also has a wider range on the lens as well
(18-105mm), but it’s not as fast as the Canon.”
Steve handed me the Nikon model to try.
I found the Nikon quite bulky.
Summary: Steve offered good customer service
and I was pleased to be offered a try of both
cameras. The only area that he could have
improved on really was on product knowledge
Score: 8 out of 10 |
Justin is on a flyer
 I WAS looking for a wireless music system, so popped into the Richer
Sounds store on Berry Street. One member of staff was serving a customer,
while two other staff were behind the counter.
I was looking at a Sonos system when Justin approached me and apologised that a TV
on the floor was in my way. He moved it, explaining that the store had just had a delivery.
I explained that I had seen a wireless system in my friend’s house and was interested
in finding out more about it. Justin said: “Ideally, it needs a computer to run off, if you’ve
got music on your hard drive or on iTunes. Another good service is Napster – I’ll give you
a demonstration of Napster.”
Crouching down to where the controller was, Justin logged on to Napster. He asked
me if I had a favourite band and I told him that I’d listen to anything.
“I’m going to show my age and choose Genesis,” he said, and within seconds, the
music was playing out through speakers in the ceiling of the store. I asked Justin what
I would get for the displayed price of £729·95. He said: “This is a bundle offer. It gets you
the remote control, an active one and a passive one.” I asked if he had any information to
take away. He gave me a copy of the Richer Sounds flyer and a copy of a brochure.
Summary: Justin got the thumbs-up quite early on when he offered a demonstration.
The only thing that went against the store, was the fact that the TV did hamper my initial
viewing of the product, although Justin did
resolve that fairly quickly.
Score: 9 out of 10 |
Listening with Laura
 AFTER buying an iPod for
my father for Christmas, I
headed to the Apple Store
in Liverpool to fi nd some
speakers or an iPod dock.
Paul greeted me and I
explained what I was looking
for. He told me that the store
stocked a range of products, from
manufacturers, including Altec
Lansing , Bose and JBL.
I headed up the stairs and
began browsing the products on
display, when I was approached
by a smiling Laura.
She asked me if I was working
to a particular budget and
explained that products ranged
from £90 to £300. I suggested I’d be interested in products around £150 to £175.
Laura said: “We’ve got demo units of most models, so you can listen to what the sound
quality’s like. Some are just speakers, while some have got a radio or a clock built-in.”
Laura left me to browse the products, adding that if I narrowed my search, she’d
happily arrange a demonstration. I told her that I liked the look of the Altec Lansing T612
(£146·76) and the Logitech Pure-Fi Dream (£169·95). Laura went off to find the demo units.
After a short time, she returned with the demo units and we moved to the Genius Bar
area of the store for the demo. Using her iPhone, she first demonstrated the Altec Lansing
product, followed by the Logitech. After hearing both, I said I preferred the Logitech and
said I would return, with my father, to ensure he was happy with it.
Summary: A good shopping experience. After asking questions to help me with my
product choices, Laura then left me to decide
between them myself. But she did give two
very good demonstrations.
Score: 9 out of 10 |
Lunts lacking in advice
 AFTER a short drive out of
the city centre, I headed for
Lunts Domestic Appliances on
Longmoor Lane, where I was
looking for a new washing
machine.
I began browsing the products on
display, where I was greeted by a
friendly man who asked if I needed
any help.
I explained that our washing
machine had gone wrong and I was
looking to replace it.
“Are you looking for anything in
particular?” the man asked.
I said our previous machine was
six or seven years old and that I was
keen to see what was available.
“What spin speed was it?” the man asked. I said I believed it was 1,200rpm.
“We’ve got Indesit, which is part of the Hotpoint group,” he said, pointing to a 1,100
spin machine that was priced at £229·99. He said it had a 5·5kg drum.
He then pointed out a 1,400 spin Hotpoint, on sale at £289·99, but he said it had a 6kg
drum. He then showed me a 1,200 spin Bosch machine in the window display. Priced at
£279·99, the man explained that it came with a two-year manufacturer’s guarantee.
I asked if the store delivered. “We do delivery, or we do a delivery and fit service,”
the man said. “Delivery and fit, with the old one taken away is £30. And if you just want
it delivered, it’s £15.”
Summary: My visit to Lunts started well with a friendly greeting. He asked me some
questions to steer him to the right kind of products, but couldn’t help me really
differentiate one product from the next. This meant I would not have bought anything
from this visit, and he only offered advice on delivery when I prompted him.
Score: 5 out of 10 |
Not so magnifi cent seven
 ON THE Edge Lane Retail
Park, I headed to the Currys
store, where I was looking
to buy a new TV.
As soon as I entered the
store, I was surprised that
seven members of staff were
chatting by the till area.
I made my way to the TV
department and quickly noticed
that the area was untidy,
with rubbish on the floor and
discarded plastic bags on some
of the TV stands.
A 37in Panasonic looked
appealing. The TX-37LZD80
was priced at £729·99, but
was switched off, while the
neighbouring set, a 26in LG LCD TV (26LG3000), priced at £349·99, was displaying ‘No
signal’.
Three other customers were browsing the TV department, with no members of staff in
sight.
Frustrated that I had not been approached, I decided to leave the store.
As I made my way to the exit, I noticed that one member of staff was helping a
customer, two of his colleagues were chatting, while the other staff had disappeared.
Summary: Seeing seven members of staff chatting was very surprising. I would have
expected one of the magnificent seven to have approached me, and I was somewhat
disappointed by the state of the TV department.
Score: 0 out of 10 |
Cold shoulder for a US fridge
 I HEADED to the Comet store on the Edge Lane Retail Park, where I was interested in buying an American-style fridge-freezer.
On entering the store, I noticed that two members
of staff were chatting near the front of the store. Both
ignored me as I made my way to the refrigeration
displays.
I began browsing and was attracted by an LG
19·5 cubic foot model, in piano black. The model
(GWL227YBQA) was priced at £899·99.
I was the only customer in the store and I noticed that
another member of staff was just six feet away from me,
but I was still ignored.
To see if I could get any reaction, I began opening and
closing the doors on every American-style fridge-freezer.
With still no approach after these desperate
measures, I left the store, thoroughly disappointed.
Summary: In total, three members of staff ignored me.
As I was the only customer in the store, I would have
expected at least one of the three to have enquired as to
whether I needed any help.
Score: 0 out of 10 |
No birthday
treat this time
 WALKING down Williamson Street, I went into
Jessops, where I was looking for an entry-level
digital camera for my niece’s birthday.
Inside the store, a member of staff was helping a
customer print some photos using a self-serve machine,
so I located the correct display cabinet and began to
browse some Casio cameras.
Another member of staff was sat behind the counter,
but ignored me.
On the camera front, the EXZ85 pink camera, a nine
megapixel model on sale at £98·97 attracted my attention,
as did the 10 megapixel EXZ100, which was priced at
£128·97.
As I continued to browse, two other customers
entered the store – and were ignored.
After waiting to be served for several minutes, and
with no sign of an approach, I left the store.
Summary: The store was quite small, so I was surprised
that the member of staff who was not serving a
customer did not seem to notice me, or the two other
customers, for that matter.
Score: 0 out of 10 |
Going from
bad to worse
 ENTERING the massive Debenhams store in Liverpool
One, I asked the security guard to direct
me to the vacuum cleaner department.
He told me to head for the second floor. On arrival at
the second floor, I quickly realised that I needed to be on
the first floor.
I headed to the vacuum cleaner display, which
was tucked away at the back of the small domestic
appliances area.
I noticed that the display was in a state of disarray,
with products and boxes all over the place and point of
sale materials and price tickets on the floor.
There was no sign of any staff in the SDA department
– I even wandered around looking for a member of staff,
but to no avail.
Another customer arrived in the SDA department,
and promptly left when they realised there were no staff
around. Disappointed, I left the store.
Summary: My visit to Debenhams got off to a bad start
when the security man gave me incorrect information.
Sadly, the visit didn’t get any better. I was shocked that
the department had no staff whatsoever.
Score: 0 out of 10 |
|
Summary
DESPITE the wind and rain, some of the city’s
retailers really did shine.
We witnessed great enthusiasm and service
from Currys.digital, Richer Sounds, the Apple
Store, the Sony Centre and John Lewis.
At these stores, the sales staff really seemed
to enjoy selling and their product knowledge was
as exemplary as their customer service skills.
Special mention has to go to Louise at John
Lewis – she not only knew the product inside
out, but she was charming and witty. I’m told
our mystery shopper at John Lewis would have
definitely bought from her.
On the negative side, my team were, once
again, thoroughly disappointed that they were
ignored in a number of stores.
Staff at Jessops, Currys and Comet ignored us,
while at Debenhams, we were baffled that there
were no staff anywhere near the small domestic
appliances and floorcare departments.
In these tough economic times, retailers
should be fighting for each sale, not chatting to
colleagues to the detriment of serving customers.
Finally, congratulations to Currys.digital,
Richer Sounds, the Apple Store, the Sony Centre
and John Lewis. As you scored more than seven
points, you have been rewarded with automatic
entry into this year’s ERT Industry Awards, which
will take place in October. Well done!
|
Top of the Town Independent
Independents
Winner
Sony Centre
Commended
Richer Sounds
Multiples
Winner
John Lewis
Commended
Apple Store
|
Premier League
|
No of Visits |
Total Points |
Average per call |
| B&O |
2 |
20 |
10 |
| Apple stores |
3 |
25 |
8.3 |
| Independents |
41 |
265 |
6.5 |
| Shop@Panasonic |
5 |
31 |
6.2 |
| Sony Centres |
14 |
81 |
5.8 |
| Richer Sounds |
8 |
45 |
5.6 |
| Supermarkets |
4 |
22 |
5.5 |
| Currys.digital |
12 |
49 |
4.1 |
| Comet |
13 |
40 |
3.1 |
| Jessops |
13 |
36 |
2.8 |
| Department Stores |
12 |
34 |
2.8 |
| Xtra Vision |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Currys |
12 |
9 |
0.8 |
| Robert Dyas |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| PC World |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
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