UNDER A SPELL

Couple of years ago, I received a shopping coupon from Centro (the famous shoe store ) along with some good discount. Since the offer was really good, I decided to take my daughter for shopping. Since her 4th birthday was also approaching, it made sense to finish the shoe thing first.

Initially, we approached a Centro branch which was closer to our residence. Though the options were limited in that branch, we finalized on two pairs. The challenge, as it happens most of the time – the size was little big for my tiny tot. The lady assisting us was extremely confident that it was a standard size and my daughter would get used to it. She gave her expert tip that we could try adding soft cotton pads at home and it would work. Obviously, we were not impressed with the idea as it sounded risky, especially what if does not work after the billing is done. S0, we decided to try other stores. While walking out, I just happened to tell my wife that we could try a bigger branch of Centro. Though it was little far from our residence but anyway we had decided to shop and I did not want to lose the offer.

While I was mentioning to my wife that we could try the other branch, the lady assisting us told that all the branches had the standard size and going there may not make a difference. Maybe she was right, but I anyway decided to try out.

When we reached the bigger store, indeed they had more varieties and options, but it seemed to me, that we were about to run into a similar challenge, and that the lady at the previous Centro store probably was right about the size.

We were just checking the options and there it was. The same pair of shoes that we saw and there was something really attractive about it, so we were unreasonably hoping if we could get a size smaller to the one we were holding.

Then a bright, young girl came to our assistance. We explained our concern to her and we also told her that we already were aware of the solution that we had to put those cotton pads and all. For a second, she looked taken aback (as probably she was getting ready to explain the same thing), then she took a pause, and let go off her script.

She smiled and excused herself for couple of minutes. She then disappeared.

When she came back, she asked my kid to put her foot in the shoe and as expected, there was a slight gap. She then quickly put the pads and adjusted it to my kid’s comfort. Within seconds the problem was solved and she also showed couple of ways to stuff the pad so that it does not come out while walking.

She then asked my kid to walk around and check for herself and voila, the magic started working. She then walked along with my kid and took her to show how beautiful the shoes were in the mirror.

It was as if she cast a spell on all of us….. me, my wife and my kid.

All of us were mightily impressed with the swiftness, dexterity and fineness with which the girl made our lives easy.

The billing was done and we thanked her and were about to walk out of the store with successful purchase when I saw that she had also kept the cotton pads and two additional pads in the bag.

I went inside to thank her for the thoughtful gesture, but out of curiosity, I could not stop myself from expressing that though I appreciate the fact that she took the pain, went to a nearby shop, bought the cotton pads and then adjusted as per my daughter’s comfort…..all the hassle she took, I wanted to know how she would have felt had we decided not to purchase the shoes. I mean all her effort would have been wasted and moreover, she purchased those pads with her own money. To which she responded saying, “Sir, I help several customers purchase shoes from the store as it is my job. From my experience what I have seen is, most of them, though they like certain shoes, decide not to purchase, because they don’t understand how to adjust those pads and the image they create is ‘it is a ‘painful process’. With that image in mind, they avoid purchasing shoe of their choice (that was the very reason they came here in the fist place). However, as you would have seen, it is a pretty simple and easy process, and once someone shows how to do it, that fear goes away….so sale or no sale sir, awareness is the key. Now that you are aware, even if you decide not to purchase it from here, you may purchase it from somewhere else, and simply, by knowing how to adjust those pads, that painful image does not exist and now you can purchase your favourite footwear from any where.”

The suddenly someone tapped my hand. I turned around to see that it was my daughter asking me to come out.

Again, I felt I was under the spell……… the spell of an extraordinary customer experience….”