"In my extensive retail career of 42 years, I have never experienced such difficult times. Tightened credit and economic uncertainty have created the perfect storm of of falling sales... We realize that we must act decisively to raise revenue in an effort to pay suppliers and secure our future."
Anderson says there's more, like promises to provide superior customer service, but we're just surprised that the retailer sent this out in the first place.
The readers at RetailWire are in the retail and/or marketing business and seem to mostly agree that it's not a good way to drum up business. But what do you think? Would you be moved by a "desperate times calls for desperate measures" letter like this?
"Dear Customer: Please Buy Something" [RetailWire] (registration required)
(Photo: feverblue)
I think it's not really fair to assert that their service may have been inadequate before.
]]>Dear Valued Customer,
The international financial crisis is weighing heavily on all of us. As consumers, one factor that we all need to consider is the stability of the companies with whom we do business. In the current economic climate, many retailers will stumble and some will even fail. For that reason, I personally want to explain Crutchfield's unique situation.
For many years, I have been concerned about the growing credit bubble. It was obvious to me that it was unsustainable and that an inevitable day of reckoning would come. To protect our customers, our employees, and my family from the disastrous consequences of a financial meltdown, I positioned Crutchfield to withstand the worst. We became very frugal with how we spent money. We did not pay outlandish executive salaries and bonuses. We did not build fancy facilities. We did not expand our retail store operations. And we did not buy other companies. Instead, we worked extremely hard to improve how we serve our customers, while we managed every aspect of our business with excellence. Furthermore, we paid off all of our debt and accumulated cash reserves.
When shopping in times like these, you need to be certain that the retailer will be around to provide you with years of after-the-sale support. We know that you expect guarantees, warranties and promises of lifetime product support to be kept when you purchase with us - and I have positioned our company to deliver without compromise on all of these important elements. As retailers go, Crutchfield is a "Rock of Gibraltar." We have no debt, a perfect credit rating and a legacy of fiscal prudence. Therefore, we will be around to serve you as we have served millions of customers for the past 34 years and throughout the last four recessions.
Purchasing from Crutchfield today means you are choosing a company that will help you use and enjoy your purchase now and in the future. I hope that you'll give Crutchfield a chance to exceed your expectations. I thank you for your time and, most importantly, for doing business with Crutchfield.
Bill Crutchfield
Bill Crutchfield
Founder and CEO, Crutchfield Corporation
After seeing a local store that was a part of my childhood close a week ago, I would have gladly pitched in and bought a few things had they said they were going through rough times.
]]>A local reataurant sent out a letter like this via the local newspaper. They wanted people to purchase postdated gift certificates and promised, if they survived, they'd honor them plus 10% of their value (so a $20 certificate becomes $22 six months down the line). The gamble paid off - probably because they run a truly unique and tasty rastaurant - and they're still around several years later.
]]>Simply pleading his case in the first person isn't enough to drum up business. The retailer might win sympathy -- i.e. make letter recipients consider his store as a place to shop -- but he also needs to give customers a reason to shop NOW. This would have to be a special limited-time deal of some kind -- extra savings or interest-free installment billing. A promise of great customer service doesn't cut it either, unless the service was something way beyond the normal call of duty, like free alterations on a customer's old garment when you buy something new...
]]>And yes, they do provide "superior customer service" - as long as you go in looking like you belong there. If you go in dressed like a slob and they don't know you, you'll get the cold shoulder.
]]>@DreamTheEndless: However, if you purchase a suit, you may have to wait a week or so for alterations or adjustments. It is likely that if this business owner is begging for business that he may have to shut his doors and you are out the money spent on a deposit for a suit while it is being altered.
Sudden store closures with no warning do happen, many local restaurants and drycleaners near me have been open on one day and appeared to be operating on a business as usual status, but shut their doors that night never to open them again.
]]>Perhaps if they had provided "superior customer service" this whole time they would have such a loyal following that they wouldn't worry as much about this recession.
]]>Would it make me shop there though? If I had the money, sure.
And that's kind of the point, if everyone had more money, we wouldn't be in this mess, and businesses wouldn't be begging for sales.
Which kind of makes the whole thing pointless.
]]>If I got such a mailing from a chain, it might make me smile but it wouldn't incline me to shop there.
]]>There are lots of local shops out there and not all local shops are good or will provide good customer service. Some are spring-up and go shops who are just out to make a quick buck in whatever city they can. You don't want to encourage a bad business to stick around either.
Am I going to pay $80 for a dress that routinely sells in a retail store for $20 just to help a business out, definitely not. For a menswear store if they are offering sub-quality, no name suits at higher than normal prices, well I can see why they are in trouble.
]]>It would also help if he could get Republican politicians to take an 8 year sabbatical.
]]>Would it make me shop there though? If I had the money, sure.
]]>If I got a note like this from a business I already liked, it would absolutely have the desired effect. I'd use them at every opportunity and bug my friends to do the same. I wouldn't buy anything I didn't need, but I might buy earlier.
]]>It is either that or risk losing the store and being stuck with what is left.
]]>Maybe. If it's legit, and not a ploy to get business, I then have to consider whether the store offers something I actually need, at the price I can afford, at the quality I expect.
If this store was much more expensive than the amount we could pay, there's nothing I can do to help them out. If they charge $600 for a suit, we can't help. If the products are of low quality, or lower than I am used to, it would be foolish to spend my money there.
A company, whether its a mom & pop or a chain, has to earn its customers.
]]>