Shopfloor DEALER PROFILE: HERBERT TODD & SON Live!
Dec/Jan 2019
ertonline.co.uk
Matthew, right, with his brother David, fellow partner in the business
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format – so my hope is that if we manage to market things to the right people we can almost be all things to all people. We do have something for everyone and we should be able to appeal to a large group of people, it’s just enticing them in and finding ways of doing that.”
Blank Canvas
Discussing the initial design and layout of the store, Mr Todd says that he had a blank canvas and therefore the opportunity to make each of the departments obvious and accessible, with a nice flow throughout, and something that is visually appealing as soon as the customer walks in. “The idea was the make it a pleasant place to come in to; we’ve never been about the pressure sale, so it’s the hope that people come into the shop and wander round, ask questions, try out products if they want to. We wanted to give them the best experience in store.
The smart home is a newer area that Herbert Todd & Son is developing and Mr Todd believes that whether retailers like it or not, they need to get their heads around this sector, the products involved and the concept of retailing them successfully. In-store, smart TVs and smart speakers are Mr Todd’s best-selling devices, but he adds: “One or two people come in asking if they can control their oven with their phone, and we can show them a solution, not that they move forward with it because they ask themselves ‘do I need to be spending that amount of money, will I actually use this function?’ “Manufacturers are always pushing the boundaries,” he continues, “especially in the TV sector; we’ve already been shown 8K, and that’s now come to market. But things are moving forward the whole time and my fear is that people are only just getting their heads around 4K, and there’s not much 4K content
available, and now 8K is coming out! To me that’s probably just going to stall some of the 4K TV sales that we could have made, because the customer who just saved up to buy 4K may now decide to wait and spend their money later on when 8K is out fully. We have to push things on and on but I don’t know whether sometimes manufacturers are a bit too quick to the market!”
First-hand experience One of the prominent features of Mr Todd’s new store is the cooking demonstration and experience zone. Having heard that other retailers were having success with this concept, and after considering the idea in the past – but put off by the changes required to meet the health and safety standards – he decided that this would be the ideal time to build something that offers a unique customer experience. The fully working kitchen area includes a series of ovens and induction hobs, plus a refrigerator and freezer and a sink with a boiling hot water tap. The store hosts regular events for customers to demonstrate how these various appliances work
so they can get a better idea if they are items they want in their home. I ask what the response has been like to this change in the business. Mr Todd replies: “It’s been brilliant – very well received. When we market these events effectively we can get a good volume of people into the store, some just to see what all the fuss is about. That leads through to sales, usually of higher value items than some customers might have been considering beforehand; that’s because when these products are being demonstrated – like a steam or touch control oven – they can get their heads around it, they taste how the food comes out, and when everyone is there being enthusiastic they buy into the idea. “I was talking to other retailers
before who have done regular days like this in the past and they felt that it really raised the profile of their shop. If you can show you’ve got the expertise and shout about the fact you’ve got certain products in-store that are wired up and ready to use, it really adds another level to actually cook something and let the customer taste things that they have produced.”
And the winner is...
Herbert Todd & Son won three awards at the ERT Awards in October – Turning Point Award, Independent Electrical Retailer of the Year and Domestic Appliances Retailer of the Year. Speaking about the day’s successes, Mr Todd says: “We were totally blown away; I went to the Awards with no expectations of winning any awards, yet hoping to win an award. To win three was absolutely staggering! I suppose we’ve had a busy year and had a lot to talk about and this gave the judges something to get their teeth into. “It’s great for us because we are well known around this area and even for people that know
us, it gives them a good inclination that things have changed and it might be worth visiting us again. For others in the area that have never heard of us, it provides some kind of solace that they’re dealing with an electrical retailer that’s at the top of their game.” He explains that ERT Awards promotional logos have been added to the company’s website
and to staff email signatures, not to mention posted all over social media, and there have even been announcements in the local press.
“The awards themselves are placed prominently on our counter; it’s really raised some good awareness about the company, which is great. It’s very much about the staff and the effort they go to every day to ensure the customers do have a great experience and my thanks goes to them.”
Matthew, left, with David Edwards from Hoover, at this year’s ERT Awards
If you can show you’ve got the expertise and shout about the fact you’ve got certain products in-store that are wired up and ready to use, it really adds another level to actually cook something in-store
Mutlichannel Mr Todd goes on to talk about the company’s website, which, for the last year, has been transactional. He explains that new elements are being added regularly and he is striving to make the complete customer process as frictionless as possible, and now he is aiming to be open for business 24-hours-a-day. But, he assures me: “We’re not trying to service the whole country because I don’t want to go head-to-head with national retailers. To be credible nowadays you need a very credible website; everyone researches online whether they want to buy online at the end of the day or not, and if your website doesn’t look top notch then people’s perception of your company will not be top notch.”
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