Anyone who's raised a child is probably familiar with the "see it again" syndrome. My son Robbie knows what he likes, and asks for it again and again. One of his favorites is going to Abt Electronics, our local electronics and appliances store.
There's a reason that Abt is on his "see it again" list. The Abt family spent a lot of thought and effort on making their retail outlet a family-friendly destination. They've added quite a bit of "wow" experiences to bring people back - not to shop, but to visit. Some of these include:
- A home theater room, with a fantastic animated music video (Animusic 2) on continuous play
- A "Virtual Butterfly" room within their Apple store
- A salt-water aquarium stocked with a wide variety of tropical fish
- A huge atrium with fountain displays every half-hour, animated sculptures, a human-sized soap bubble machine, and computer learning/play stations
- Free fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies and espresso or iced coffee (Saturdays & Sundays)
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. These sorts of extras, together with their knowledgable and friendly staff and their superior service combine to turn customers into raving fans.
Abt is a company that really "gets it." Make the service, the experience, the products something people will actively recommend, and you'll make customers for life. Robbie can't wait for our next visit - and our extended family wouldn't shop anywhere else when it comes to refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, TVs or any of the little stuff that they carry.
