p16 comment May 29 26/5/09 16:16 Page 16
news comment
ttglive.com
Amanda Wills Virgin Holidays
“Comments I overheard
between two Sainsbury’s
cashiers show the late-deals
mentality is alive and well”
I
am a bit of an anorak for market Tier two are the “pendings”, those customers
intelligence: it adds weight and backs up that are understandably hedging their bets. A
strategies, even if just with anecdotal commercially astute price/value offering will
footnotes (we do deal with humans, not cajole them into seeing they can afford a break
just trading figures, after all). this year. The key is to let them know we’ll be
It’s also a good source for when and how making their money work as hard as possible.
to tweak an agreed business approach. This That’s the challenge.
year, we’ll need to be less attached to a rigid And now for the good news, hot off the
12-month plan, even if the general direction for Sainsbury’s check-out press. In one of its
the long term remains intact. stores, I overheard the following exchange
Now, a market research expert will dilute between a cashier and their supervisor.
his insights with the oft-heard caveat that Cashier: “Did you get my holiday dates
consumers are apparently not always the request?”
best predictors of their own behaviour. Supervisor: “Yes, are they flexible?”
However, with a wide enough survey Cashier: “No, has to be those dates.”
pool, umbrella trends are produced that Supervisor: “Why, have you booked
help us all navigate current conditions something?”
with a confident but flexible plan. Cashier: “No, not yet, but there’ll be
Recently I’ve been able to match my deals, just on set dates. So if I’ve already
old mate Mintel’s nuggets with some got that signed off I know which deals I
“horse’s mouth” corroboration of can look at, it saves time, plus I’ll know
my own. Yes, grocery shopping is what I can afford by then.”
the new strategy-checking forum. The late-deals mentality is alive and
As I’ve mentioned before, a well. Now the cashier has her dates
long-term re-education of late signed off, it is unlikely the supervisor’s
bookers would bring calmer waters resource planning will allow her to
to forecasting. Yes, we know it was us change them. And our bookings here as
that taught them the best deals are to be a long-haul operator are backing that up.
had 30 minutes before check-in but, in the The cashier is not going to the Lake District.
recession, re-education must wait. There’s business to be had if the offering
So that leaves us stuck in a holding pattern addresses customer money worries and
with two types of customers. reassures them that bang for buck has
First, let’s cover off tier one: these are the never been so good. Hold your nerve, guys.
last-standing early bookers, such as families,
honeymooners, cruisers and those that have Amanda Wills is managing director
life landmarks to celebrate this year. of Virgin Holidays
16 29.05.2009
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