How To Turn Something Everyone Hates Into Customer Value
A good example is Uniqlo
I hate self-checkout machines. Retailers install them to make me do their job for free. And these machines rarely work perfectly.
Uniqlo has created another type of self-checkout machines for its USA stores. They use radio frequency identification readers, or RFID, to simplify the checkout process.
No barcodes or QR codes.
No complicated instructions.
Place your purchase in the box. The machine will do all the rest. Fast and convenient.
Why don’t other chains use RFID? It is expensive and complex.
But Uniqlo uses it not to reduce costs. It does because the company’s mission is to “wow the customer.”
The company hasn’t laid off cashiers — not a single one. Instead, they work as shop assistants and help customers to choose what they need.
It is not only about the bottom line. It is about customer experience.
Top executives of retail chains using traditional self-checkout machines don’t shop at their own stores. They are too busy preparing another slide deck on ‘cost-efficient strategy.’
