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15 October 2009

About town

• According to the 2001 census, the Greater Manchester area had a population of 2,482,328.

• The recorded history of Manchester began with the civilian vicus associated with the Roman fort of Mamucium, which was established around 79AD on a sandstone bluff near the confluence of the rivers Medlock and Irwell.

• In 1878, the General Post Office provided its first telephones to a company in Manchester.

• Manchester is the third most visited city in the UK by foreign visitors, and the most visited in England outside of London.

• The 169-metre tall, 47-storey Beetham Tower, completed in 2006, is the tallest building in the UK outside London and the highest residential accommodation in western Europe.

• The final insurance payout, following the IRA bombing on June 15, 1996, was more than £400 million.

Have you got a docker, cocker?

I WAS looking to get some sort of iPod docker, so I headed into the Superfi store on Bridge Street.
I went into the store and was greeted by Kev. I looked around the store and after a minute or so, Kev asked me if I needed any help.
He showed me the B&W Zeppelin, which was on sale at £390.51 and the Aktimate Mini speakers, which were priced at £249.95.
He asked me if I had my iPod with me, but I realised I had left it in the car.
Kev asked me how much I was thinking of spending. I said that, as long as the sound quality was good, I would be prepared to spend as much as I needed to.
He went behind the counter and returned clutching a bright pink iPod Nano, which he said he would use to demonstrate the two products he had mentioned.
He first demonstrated the Aktimate Mini speakers and I liked the design of the product.
He played two tracks, Omen by The Prodigy, followed by Crash into Me from the Dave Matthews Band.
He then demonstrated the B&W Zeppelin product, using the same two tunes.
He explained that both products had line-in sockets to enable other MP3 players and compatible mobile phones to be plugged in.
I thanked Kev for his help. I said I was very interested in the Aktimate Mini product.
Just as I was about to leave the store, he said: “If you’d like to order one, or get one put aside for you, then we can take a 10 per cent deposit over the phone, which will save you coming back into the store.”
Summary: Kev gave a great demonstration and I liked the way he mentioned taking a deposit, which I took as an attempt to close the sale. He was very enthusiastic and I would have had no hesitation buying the Aktimate Mini product from him, based on his demonstration. He is a credit to his employer.

Score: 10 out of 10

Reader all about it – 350 books in the palm of your hand

WITH my dear mother about to celebrate reaching a certain birthday milestone, I popped into the Sony Centre in the Arndale Centre to get some ideas for a present.
Inside the store, a smiling man greeted me from behind the counter.
I began to browse the products on display and then the perfect present idea caught my eye – the Sony Reader.
I picked up an information leaflet and the man asked if I needed any help. I asked him to tell me all about the Reader.
He said: “You basically download the books from the Waterstone’s website. They cost the same price as a normal paperback book and you can load up to 350 books on to the Reader.
“All new releases are available, plus a back catalogue.”
He told me that there were two versions available.
The smaller “pocket version” was on sale at £179.99, while the “touch version” was priced at £249.99.
I said I was amazed by the Reader. He turned on the Reader Touch Edition and showed me how the books were presented on-screen, as well as how to turn the pages.
I asked how easy it was to download a title on to the Reader. “It’s simply a case of dragging and dropping the book onto the Reader, via a USB lead,” he said.
I thanked the man for his help.
Summary: The man was able to talk me through the Sony Reader effortlessly. He demonstrated how easy the product was to use and how to go about adding titles. The only element missing was closing the sale.

Score: 9 out of 10

Foiled by a flat battery

MY MATE had been banging on about his wireless audio system, so I went to see if I could stretch to one at Audio-T in Bridge Street.
I entered the store and was greeted by Dave, who asked if I needed any help.
I explained what I was looking for and he immediately recommended the Sonos system on a special bundle deal.
He showed me the system and said: “For £799, you would get two ‘zones’, one amplifier, and another box, which is unamplified and designed to work with an existing hi-fi system. You will need speakers on top of that – and you get a touch-screen remote as well.”
I asked Dave if the system was easy to use.
“You need to connect it via Ethernet to your wireless router, or you can buy a ZoneBridge to make it all completely wireless, and that’s another £80.”
He explained that further ‘zones’ could be added to the system and he told me it was compatible with PCs and Macs, as well as with iTunes and Windows Media Player.
Further zones would cost £350, “plus a pair of speakers”.
Dave tried to show me how album artwork appeared on the remote control, but the remote control battery was flat.
Dave gave me a brochure and talked me through the various stages of installation.
Summary: I was disappointed that the remote control battery was flat as I so wanted a demonstration. However, this, and the fact that Dave did not attempt to close the sale, were the only things I could fault him on.

Score: 8 out of 10

Never knowingly outsold

ON A DAY trip to Manchester, I headed to the John Lewis store in the Trafford Centre to check out a new washing machine.
Inside the domestic appliance area, I was greeted by Sean, who asked if I was looking for anything in particular.
I explained that my washing machine sounded like it was on the way out and that I wanted to get an idea of what was around.
Sean asked me a series of questions, including what brand of machine I currently had, whether I would buy that brand again and what my budget was.
I confirmed that we currently had an Electrolux machine, but that I had no particular brand in mind and my budget was around £450.
“How many people are going to be using the machine?” Sean asked.
I said that my small family consisted of me, my wife and our daughter, although my wife was in the ‘family way’.
Sean’s next set of questions included what drum size and spin speed my current machine had. I said it was a 6kg machine with a 1,400 spin speed.
“As you are extending your family, maybe you could look at getting a 7kg machine,” Sean suggested.
He presented one of the John Lewis-branded appliances. The washing machine (JLWM1407) was priced at £399 and was a 7kg model, with a 1,400 spin speed.
Sean pointed out that the machine came with a three-year guarantee.
He also told me the machine was made for John Lewis by the Electrolux Group. He switched on the machine and talked me through some of the features, including quick wash and how to adjust the spin speed.
I asked if he could recommend any other machines.
He showed me a Siemens model (WM14E162), which was on sale at £499, although he pointed out that this was slightly over the budget I had given him.
However, he pointed out that the Siemens model came with a five-year guarantee.
I asked Sean if John Lewis could deliver my new machine. “Delivery is free, but we’ve got an offer on at the minute,” Sean said.
“We will take away your old washing for you free of charge – it normally costs £9. For £24, we’ll also connect the new one for you.”
Sean suggested that if I took out a John Lewis Partnership Card, he could give me six months’ interest-free credit on my purchase. Unfortunately, I did not have any form of ID with me.
I asked Sean for some information and he gave me brochures for both Siemens and the John Lewis machines.
I thanked him for his help.
Summary: Sean was warm and friendly, but more importantly, he was knowledgeable. He asked a lot of questions so that he could fully ascertain my needs and suggest suitable products. Good job, Sean.

Score: 10 out of 10

Neil reaches for the Sky

AFTER months of nagging, I finally decided that my boyfriend could watch his beloved Manchester United, so headed to the Currys.digital store in the Arndale Centre, to ask about Sky.
A woman greeted me as I entered the store and I immediately counted 11 members of staff, some of whom were serving and there were many customers browsing.
I made my way to the ‘digital TV services’ area and I was approached by a man, who told me that Neil would be the best person to talk me through Sky.
Neil explained that there were three different Sky systems available – ‘normal’ Sky, Sky+ and Sky+ HD.
I said that I was aware of Sky+ and Neil explained that Sky+ HD had “the same features as Sky+”, but also offered 33 high-definition channels. He picked up the Sky remote control so that he could give me a demonstration.
He selected channel 402 (Sky Sports 2), which was broadcasting cricket. Then he switched over to channel 409 (Sky Sports 2 HD), to show me the improvement in picture quality.
“As you can see,” Neil said, “the level of detail is so much better on Sky+ HD.”
Neil asked if we had a landline phone and I said we did.
He told me that a Sky+ HD box would cost £29. If I took the multi-room option, I would get a free installation, as well as six months subscription-free for the multi-room box, saving me £60.
Neil confirmed the multi-room package would have the same channel line-up as my main box.
I asked Neil for some information and he gave me a Sky brochure, from which he suggested I choose my packages.
Installation could be done “within a few days”, Neil said.
Summary: Neil was able to talk me through Sky+ HD succinctly. Closing the sale and not talking me through the channel packages were the only areas I was disappointed with. He gave a very compelling demonstration.

Score: 8 out of 10

Illuminating discussion

I WAS looking to buy a new TV for my living room, so I headed to the House of Fraser store on Deansgate.
Inside the store, I took the lift to the sixth floor, which is home to the technology concession run by Tec7.
Kevin was talking to another member of staff at the counter, so I began to browse the products on display.
I was drawn to the ultra-thin LED TVs from Samsung. I spotted four LED TV sets, one 32in, two 40in and one 46in.
After around five minutes, Kevin approached me. “They are very impressive,” Kevin said.
“They are still liquid crystal displays, but they’re lit at the back with little LEDs, which means you get really good contrast.”
He took me to a Samsung display and showed me the difference in quality between an LED model and a standard LCD panel.
Kevin told me that Samsung’s LED TVs were “40 per cent more efficient than a plasma TV”.
He showed me the wall-mount option for Samsung’s LED TVs, which he said would let me hang the TV like a picture on the wall.
I asked for some information to take away and Kevin gave me a Samsung brochure.
I thanked him for his help.
Summary: I was disappointed that I had to wait for nearly five minutes for Kevin to serve me. Still, when he did finally approach me, he did an OK job that included a demonstration.

Score: 5 out of 10

Pioneer’s OK with Will

AFTER seeing my brother-in-law’s Blu-ray player, I went into the new Richer Sounds store on Deansgate to see what was available.
On entering the store, I was greeted by Liam, who was busy sweeping the floor.
I headed to the Blu-ray display and was overwhelmed to find 12 players, ranging from £129.95 for a Samsung model up to £899.95 for a Sony player.
Will approached me and asked if he could assist me. I explained that I wanted to find out more about Blu-ray.
Pointing to a TV, Will said: “This is high-definition quality that you see, not through Blu-ray, but through Freesat. Basically, Blu-ray discs hold four times more information than a DVD.”
Will asked if I had a surround-sound system, but I said I did not. He went on to tell me that the audio from Blu-ray discs was high definition, too.
I told Will that I did not want to spend a fortune on a Blu-ray player, but I asked him what he could recommend.
He asked me what TV I currently had and I said it was a 32in Panasonic set.
He first presented a Panasonic Blu-ray player (DMPBD60), which was on sale at £219.95. He explained that the player could connect to YouTube.
He added: “Personally, I think Pioneer is making some of the best Blu-ray players at the moment.” I asked him why he thought that.
He said: “This one (BDP120) is very good for playing Blu-ray discs that have music on. So, if you watch a lot of gigs, then this will be the best, in my opinion.”
The Pioneer model was on sale at £269.95.
I picked up a copy of the Richer Sounds flyer and thanked him.
Summary: Will had a laid-back style. He gave relatively basic information on Blu-ray, but he did give a demonstration of what an HD quality picture was like, albeit from Freesat.

Score: 4 out of 10

Radio ads’ promises betrayed

AFTER reading in ERT about the Digital Radio Development Bureau’s (DRDB) marketing drive through Currys stores in the north-west, I decided that I would put the Currys store on the Ravenside Retail Park to the test.
Appropriately enough, as I turned into the Currys car park, I heard on the radio that I should head to Currys to buy a radio. So it would seem I was in the right place at the right time.
Inside the store, three staff were serving customers, while another five were wandering around the store doing nothing in particular that I could see.
The DAB radio display, with the DRDB’s point-of-sale, looked well presented, but I was blown away to find some 20 digital radios on display, ranging from the Hitachi KH312 at £34.97 to the Pure Evoke 3 EcoPlus at £199.99.
Point-of-sale information highlighted that I could text DAB and my postcode to 88600 to find out which stations I could receive at home.
Shame I couldn’t text Currys to get some service.
And so, with no staff approach, I left the store after more than five minutes, thoroughly disappointed.
Summary: The DRDB ad campaign had raised my hopes of enjoying a flawless shopping experience at Currys. Sadly, that was far from the case. Ignore customers at your peril.

Score: 0 out of 10

We live electricals?

WITH my move to the north-west almost finalised, I went into the Comet store on the Manchester Fort Retail Park to buy a washing machine.
Inside the store, I was ignored by three members of staff who were stood chatting, so I made my way to the home laundry department.
A Hotpoint washing machine (WMD960) had a sign on it, which said ‘free delivery and installation of this appliance’.
The machine, which had an 8kg capacity and a 1,600 spin speed, was priced at £439.99.
Another Hotpoint machine, the Aqualtis (AQ9L29I), was priced at £429.99. The machines had a 9kg capacity and a 1,200 spin speed.
A woman was talking to a customer about a Vax carpet cleaner just yards from where I was standing. In all, I counted seven members of staff, only two of whom were serving.
Just as I was getting the urge to walk out, Craig appeared to be approaching me, but in fact he walked straight past me to serve another customer.
I decided to call it a day and headed for the exit.
Summary: Why, oh why, would three members of staff choose to have a conversation by the door? Surely one of them, could have raised a smile and said hello? But there was no contact. When Craig walked straight past me to serve a customer who had just arrived, that was the final straw.

Score: 0 out of 10

Photo fiasco

I WANTED to look at upgrading my digital SLR camera, so I headed for Jacobs Digital on Cross Street.
On entering the store, I saw two members of staff standing behind the counter chatting, so I walked to the rear of the store to begin browsing. I was the only customer.
In a display cabinet were two Sony digital SLRs, the Alpha A700 and the Alpha A900, which were on sale at £638.99 and £1,679,99 respectively.
Price tickets indicated that the A700 price included an 18-70mm lens, while the A900 price was for the camera body only.
After browsing for more than five minutes, I had still not been approached, despite being the only customer.
I left the store without either member of staff speaking a single word to me.
Summary: There is no excuse in retail to ignore customers. Salesmen are there to sell. This store was reasonably small and I was the only customer. They didn’t even try to talk to me as I was walking out. A zero score seems the only fitting outcome.

Score: 0 out of 10

Summary

MY TEAM very much enjoyed its day visiting Manchester’s electrical retailers. We witnessed some excellent examples of product knowledge, sales skills and customer service.
While the majority of stores performed well, this time it was down to Comet, Currys and Jacobs Digital to really let the side down.
I may sound like a broken record, but ignoring customers during a recession is retail suicide. That’s it for the negative comments, as there were so many great examples in Manchester of what retailing should be about.
Congratulations to Will, Kev, Kevin, Neil and Sean at Richer Sounds, Superfi, House of Fraser, Currys.digital and John Lewis; plus the chap at the Sony Centre. You all demonstrated products or technologies to my team and you should be congratulated. This is the first time that more than half the stores visited by my team have demonstrated products – so, well done.
Demonstration is the key to sales and you guys embraced it. Good job.
I must give special mention to two of the stores visited. My mystery shoppers who visited Superfi and John Lewis both told me that they felt Kev and Sean were at the top of their game and excelled, so well done to you two.
As of the last issue of ERT, all those who score more than seven points will be entered into the ERT Industry Awards for 2010.

Top of the Town

Independents		Multiples
Winner:	Superfi	Winner:	John Lewis
Commended:	Sony Centre	Commended:	Currys.digital

PREMIER LEAGUE

	No. of visits	Total points	Average per call
B&O	2	20	10
Apple	3	25	8.3
Shop@Panasonic	8	58	7.3
Sony Centres	20	135	6.6
Independents	59	383	6.5
Richer Sounds	10	49	4.9
Currys.Digital	18	66	3.7
Department Stores	20	65	3.3
Comet	19	55	2.9
Jessops	17	43	2.5
Currys	17	11	0.6
Marks & Spencer	1	0	0
Robert Dyas	1	0	0
PC World	4	0	0

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