Welcome back to The Stocklists Mystery Shopper column, which sees our partners at ProInsight visit flooring retailers across the country, posing as prospective buyers while using a set of objective metrics to evaluate the customer experience. Throughout this feature, we aim to highlight the many strengths of independent flooring retail while identifying opportunities for improvement where appropriate.
This month, we visited Birmingham. As the UK’s second city and a major commercial centre, Birmingham has a diverse housing stock and a large potential market for flooring retailers. With competition high, making a strong first impression and engaging customers quickly can be key to securing a sale – but how did the city’s retailers perform in our evaluation?
Midlands Carpets Harborne
The exterior of Midlands Carpets Harborne was clean, with spotless windows and well-presented displays. However, the initial customer experience left room for improvement. Our shopper didn’t receive any acknowledgement from the staff in store for several minutes and eventually had to ask for assistance.
Once approached, our shopper explained that a new carpet was required for the lounge. The staff member asked about colour but did not explore other important requirements, such as the level of traffic or how the room would be used.
Our shopper was shown a small sample from what appeared to be a selection of scrap samples. When it was explained that budget was not the primary concern and that suitable alternatives could be considered, the same carpet was recommended as the best option.
Our shopper mentioned the brand of the previous carpet and was shown a product from that brand, but the conversation returned to the original small sample. When objections were raised, another cut-out sample was offered, described as a reduced model available in only two colours.
The staff member could have strengthened the experience by asking more questions about the room and lifestyle requirements before recommending a product. A broader selection of ranges and larger, more representative samples would also have helped our shopper make a more informed decision.
United Carpets & Beds Birmingham
United Carpets & Beds presented a clean store, although building work was taking place during the visit. Similar to the previous shop, there was also a missed opportunity on arrival. Two members of staff were talking in the reception area and our shopper was not acknowledged for almost 10 minutes, eventually having to ask for assistance.
Once engaged, however, the experience improved considerably. Our shopper explained that the lounge required new carpet and the staff member asked questions to establish the requirements. Several suitable options were then presented at different price points.
When our shopper raised an objection to the price, the response was particularly good. The staff member acknowledged that the recommended carpet was expensive and then offered an alternative of similar quality at a lower price. This demonstrated both product knowledge and an understanding of the customer’s budget without putting pressure on the sale.
The main opportunities for improvement were around the completeness of the sales process. Fitting, underlay and grippers were not discussed, and a quotation was only provided when our shopper specifically requested one. Offering a comprehensive quote and explaining all the elements required to complete the installation could have added value to the experience.
And the winner is…
This was not a straightforward contest. Both stores had opportunities to improve their initial customer engagement, with neither acknowledging our shopper promptly on arrival. However, United Carpets & Beds Birmingham takes the win.
Once our shopper was engaged, the staff member demonstrated good product knowledge, asked relevant questions and provided suitable alternatives across different budgets. Most notably, the handling of the price objection was thoughtful and effective, with a lower-priced carpet of similar quality offered without compromising the customer’s requirements.