February 2018 ertonline.co.uk


Jessops, Marlowe Arcade, Whitefriars Shopping Centre


WINNING MULTIPLE


LOOKING for a compact camera, photo chain Jessops was the next port of call. I was greeted by Marcel, who asked if I needed


any help. The product he chose for me was a Panasonic TZ80 at £329. He picked up the camera and began to show


me some of its features, including the ultra-wide- angle 24mm lens, 30x optical zoom and the Post Focus feature that would enable users to select in-focus areas after shooting. He mentioned the store’s Compact


Essential Bundles,


which he said offered better than half-price accessories. Marcel concluded his


presentation by telling me that the camera was also part of a cashback promotion.


Steamer Trading, Burgate


JOINT COMMENDED INDEPENDENT


LOCATED close to Canterbury cathedral, Steamer Trading was housed within a four-storey Grade-II listed building. I was looking to buy a coffee machine and noticed that there were three models as part of the superb window display. Inside the store, I was greeted by Unvarshi, who immediately asked me whether I was interested in a machine that took pods or ground coffee. I said that I would like a bean-to-cup machine,


so Unvarshi led me out of the store, so that she could show me the one I had already spotted in the window. Pointing through the window, Unvarshi


presented a bean-to-cup machine from De’Longhi (Magnifica), which was reduced in price in the sale from £469.99 to £298.95. Unvarshi said the bean-to-cup


machine featured 15-bar pump pressure and she said that the machine was compatible with both ground coffee or beans as the machine has a built-in burr grinder.


Sales skills: 3/5


Store presentation:


5/5 Total:


8/10 Summary:


Marcel was full of enthusiasm and


knew his subject. A textbook


sale, with at least three attempts to close the sale and plenty of


suggested add-ons.


Canterbury Hi-Fi, St George’s Centre


JOINT COMMENDED INDEPENDENT


WALKING towards Canterbury Hi-Fi, which has been supplying hi-fi equipment for more than 40 years, the shop window was very appealing. Stuart greeted me and asked if I needed any


help. I said that after years of collecting CDs, I wanted to join the vinyl revolution and get myself a turntable. He mentioned that sales of LPs had increased 26.8 per cent year on year in the final quarter of 2017. Stuart talked me through two Pro-Ject models, starting with the Essential 3 turntable in red priced at £279.99, and then the Debut Carbon turntable, in black, at £350.


To highlight the quality of the Debut Carbon model, Stuart pointed out that its fitted Ortofon 2M Red cartridge retailed for around £95, while the carbon fibre tonearm cost £150.


Stuart also demonstrated how to change the replay speed, by moving the belt on to a different part of the motor pulley.


Sales skills: 4/5


Store presentation:


5/5 Total:


9/10 Summary:


Unvarshi did a


good job. She was able to present a good overview of the machine and mentioning the sale price was an attempt to close. The store looked very good.


Stormfront, Marlowe Arcade, Whitefriars Shopping Centre


JOINT COMMENDED INDEPENDENT


THE Marlowe Arcade was completed in 1985 and officially opened by the Duchess of Kent. It hosts a dozen or so retail units and links St Margaret’s Street with Rose Square in Whitefriars. Having just upgraded my smartphone, I was looking to buy a decent pair of headphones. Inside, Lauren greeted me and asked if I needed any help. She said that the store sold products from Beats, B&O and Bose. She encouraged me to try on the Beats Solo3 Wireless, which was priced at £249.95 Lauren said that the Beats model, which was available in seven different colours, offered 40 hours of battery life. She also mentioned its Fast Fuel feature – a quick five-minute charge that provided three hours of playback. She then showed me a pair of Bose headphones (QC35), priced at £329.95. She pointed out that this model had world-class noise cancelling and Google Assistant built in, which would enable me to control music, send and receive texts and use voice recognition.


Sales skills: 4/5


Store presentation:


5/5 Total:


9/10 Summary:


Stuart’s explanation of the value of the


second model was an attempt to close the sale. A demonstration would have sealed the deal.


45


Sales skills: 4/5


Store presentation:


5/5 Total:


9/10 Summary:


Lauren was on good form. She knew both products well, but she did not offer to demonstrate either of them.


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