Sign I think PFC is broken #1
Step #1, I'm going to start listing the signs and/or reasons why I've come to believe that PFC is broken. I won't be listing how to fix them yet because that requires some dialogue and some research, but over the next few days a list is going to be generated with each reason having it's own blog entry. Some of the reasons could be interrelated.
Sign #1 - Members are not treated any differently or more special than non-members when shopping at the coop. The only time that a member ever feels like they are a member is at the very end of their shopping experience, at the very end of their check-out experience, when a cashier asks "Are you a member?" in order to track sales. The two exceptions to this could possibly be when one is walking into the store if one notices the information board at the right of the door and the coop-member-only sales items with signs on them in the store.
Those two exceptions are very slight. The information board isn't clearly delineated between member and non-member information and the coop-member-only signs are so unobtrusive in their member-only specificness that many non-members assume the sale sign applies to them.
Although the coop is open to the public, if members are not given a feeling of special status every day they choose to shop at the coop rather than at some other grocery store, then a feeling of community among members will be very difficult to build.
Sign #1 - Members are not treated any differently or more special than non-members when shopping at the coop. The only time that a member ever feels like they are a member is at the very end of their shopping experience, at the very end of their check-out experience, when a cashier asks "Are you a member?" in order to track sales. The two exceptions to this could possibly be when one is walking into the store if one notices the information board at the right of the door and the coop-member-only sales items with signs on them in the store.
Those two exceptions are very slight. The information board isn't clearly delineated between member and non-member information and the coop-member-only signs are so unobtrusive in their member-only specificness that many non-members assume the sale sign applies to them.
Although the coop is open to the public, if members are not given a feeling of special status every day they choose to shop at the coop rather than at some other grocery store, then a feeling of community among members will be very difficult to build.
posted by Solomon at 9:01 AM
3 Comments:
I think if you're a regular shopper at the co-op you get treated differently - just like at any store where there are regulars. Are you more concerned about welcoming members or about the non-welcome of non-members? (or the non-welcome of members, which would be yet another matter).
Edward, if I'm understanding the distinctions you are making correctly, then I am most worried about the welcoming of members. When a member walks through the store, there should be a distinct, broadcasted feeling of inclusion and specialness for those shoppers who have invested their money and time into the store.
I agree that regulars are often treated special, as they would feel special in any store with adequate customer service. But I don't mean that sort of staff friendliness difference. I'm speaking of a feeling of extra value one receives from having purchased a membership, just by walking down the aisle. In some coops that can be as simple as having advance knowledge of what is being sold in the store because your opinion is regularly sought on what is offered on the shelves.
I agree that advance notice of what is being sold in the store would be very valuable.
I suggested to the board at a meeting a month or two back that they should have a weblog for the store, and that they should post out stuff as simple as what produce is in season this week and some recipes to use it; or what's the menu at the cafe. And that would be a blog with comments (hey, like this one) and not just a static page blasted out without any feedback.
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