ASU TEM 431 Observation Lab Jim Barrigan

1. MODULE 5 - OBSERVATION LAB

2. (Buisnessinsider.com, August 4, 2017)One of the greatest innovation inspiring speeches of all time

3. • Starbucks
• Home Depot
• Wegmans
• Whole Foods
• Costco
• Dicks Sporting Goods
• Capital One Bank
Capital One Bank had the greatest changes and was worth noting in observations

4. The wide assortment of food and how the food case is the brightest well lite area in the store

5. Insights
What types of things had you missed before?
• The cash register positioned in the middle of the store
• The temperature and lighting in the store was inviting as well as the smells. I was not in a hurry to leave
• Evan though most of the tables were full of people chatting or on a laptop everyone had beverages and some had food from Starbucks. I
had thought people just went to get internet access and only a percentage purchased items
• The wide assortment of food and how the food case is the brightest well lite area in the store. The products were just below eye level
which also targets kids. I typically run in and grab coffee
What were your biggest surprises?
• A sign indicating a smoke fee environment including Vaping inside and out
• We welcome service animals, but no pets
• The use of cell phones by the staff behind the counter. The staff seemed disengaged which goes against the Starbucks business model. It
seemed like they were taking an order by phone.
Are there opportunities you never noticed before?
• The ability to create my own mix for a beverage. A sign by the Barista’s right were a customer would order was new. If the Barista found
the drink to be interesting they would put the drink recipe on a card, post and send in the potentially be added to the main drink menu.
• This was the first time I had visited a Starbucks with a gourmet coffee selection with a special brewing machine. I enjoyed the experience
as it seemed special, like being moved to a first class seat on an airplane. The cost per cup was nearly double the normal Pikes Place brand
coffee, however I found the experience well worth the additional cost.
The New Gourmet Coffee Bar – Like being moved to a First Class seat on an Airplane

6. Insights
What types of things had you missed before?
• When checking out a customer now has the option to self check out, with a giant monitor, a
scanner tool, and its really well designed and user friendly.
• The store was well lite and the signs and prices on the shelves were in large font and easy to
read. I had not noticed this before
• The season just changed to spring in my area and Home Depot had significant quantity of stock,
maybe to much on the floor such as grills, patio furniture etc which made it difficult to navigate
the store.
What were your biggest surprises?
• The ability to order online directly to the closest store, pay for the product online, then have a
store employee put the item outside in a lockbox for pick up. I like this idea as it save
significant ‘Wandering time” in the store.
• The last time I was in a Home Depot I was disappointed as I could not find staff to help. This
was about a year ago. This time I had seven staff at various points ask if they could assist. When
I checked out the cashier asked specific questions about customer support
Are there opportunities you never noticed before?
• A large display for the Tesla Powerwall home solution. I had read about it online and had some
interest. I was able to get the questions I had answered by a person.
• Home delivery of items purchased online from the local store, same day within a 10 mile radius.
Seven Home Depot staff at various points in a thirty minute visit asked if they could assist.

7. Wegman’s will deliver Wine and Beer which is new

8. Insights
What types of things had you missed before?
• Significant signage and advertising throughout the store at multiple eye levels and many different shapes and Colors
• A Wegmans specific font when advertising a Wegmans brand. This added a special touch
• The store is very bright and inviting with many compartmentalized sections that allow a customer to wonder, and watch
chefs make bread, cook entrée’s, and many other culinary “live shows” ongoing throughout the day making the shopping
trip and experience.
What were your biggest surprises?
• The attention to the international market with Flags, special isles based on nationality, and advertising in multiple
languages. The Washington DC area is known for its diversity, thus the attention to linguistics is a noticeable touch.
• I noticed a command post of sorts near the registers. Posted in plain sight was a chart of “IPM’s”. I asked the manger and
he explained they had a six sigma project that identified items per minute was the main measure of success for a cahier.
Wegmans then creates a sort of competition for those that can maintain or beat the IPM goals while maintaining quality. I
found it interesting that a food store invested in bettering the main choke point of a supermarket, the check out.
Are there opportunities you never noticed before?
• Instacart which is a shopping and delivery service for groceries had a significant presents at Wegman’s.
• Wegman’s has a catering department, however it is on a lower level and hard to find. They offer full catering services.
• Wegman’s will deliver Wine and Beer which is new, and is advertised at the front door when a customer first walks in
The Washington DC area is known for its diversity, thus the attention to linguistics is a noticeable touch

9. Right after walking in the store the Values of Whole Foods are on uniquely designed signs

10. Insights
What types of things had you missed before?
• Right after walking in the store the values of Whole Foods are on uniquely designed signs and are proudly mounted
for all to see. I had never noticed this before.
• The front of the store in inviting and has employees assisting at the cart area and making sure customers can get in
the store easily
• In the back of the store are high end water filtration devices and they also provide Alkaline water per recommended
standard. A customer can bring in there own water jug or purchase. The chemical makeup of the water is also
measured.
What were your biggest surprises?
• Fresh squeezed Orange Juice where a customer can interact with a machine where you can watch the juice come
right out of the orange. This was entertaining.
• Most of the customers were not in a hurry compared to other grocery stores and were “Browsing the
items and isles as if looking for something new.
Are there opportunities you never noticed before?
• Online ordering and a store employee will shop, bag items and place them in the front of the store for pick up
• Amazon delivery will deliver online purchases to your home and has specific parking places next to the store to help
with speed of delivery
• Amazon has a self serve kiosk where a Whole Foods shopper can also pick up items purchased on amazon.com
Most of the customers were not in a hurry compared to other grocery stores

11. Costco is the largest seller of tires in the Washington DC metro area

12. Insights
What types of things had you missed before?
• While filling up my car with Costco gas an employee was walking around with store advertisements,
membership renewals, and answering any general questions
• The tire center is located right as a customer walks in the door and is advertised in large bright font
• Costco home delivery
What were your biggest surprises?
• During a weekday it appeared as if there was just as many staff to assist as during the weekend
• Costco is the largest seller of tires in the Washington DC metro area
Are there opportunities you never noticed before?
• I typically go to Costco once a month for staples, however this time I noticed many different offering
such as Tires, Gas, HVAC service, Flooring, and Window Coverings which not typically on the sales
floor
• Costco Travel services were being advertised and looked interesting and pointed to Costcotravel.com.
• Costco released a “Roadshow” schedule where deep discounts are offered on specific items such as patio
furniture, seafood, Grills, etc throughout the year. This was advertised just after walking in and was new.
During a weekday it appeared as if there was just as many staff to assist as during the weekend

13. The knowledgeable, and available staff to assist and answer questions

14. Insights
What types of things had you missed before?
• The use of athletes on large signs promoting certain items that provided visualization to a customer
• Dicks offers a price match guarantee and advertises it in the middle of the store on a big sign
• How inviting the front of the store is. I have always been in a hurry and never took the time to notice the
detail
What were your biggest surprises?
• The knowledgeable, and available staff to assist and answer questions
• The large open spaces with very high ceilings where the camping equipment is located giving the
impression of outdoors
• The different flooring based on the activity, basketball area had basketball flooring, soccer had turf,
hiking had boulders etc. Well thought out.
Are there opportunities you never noticed before?
• A batting cage in the store where a customer could try out baseball equipment prior to purchasing.
• A customer can order an item online, pay for the item, and have a store employee find the item and
place the item in an in store locked pick up area
A batting cage in the store where a customer could try out baseball equipment prior to purchasing

15. I choose Capital One bank to add to the Observation Lad due to
the extreme changes in offerings since the last time I had visited this
brick and mortar bank.
Capital One has moved nearly all banking services online, the
tellers in the bank have been replaced with an ATM. The only bank
staff are a few sales people for a cube visit to assist, and now
Barista’s.
The Capital One bank is now a coffee house which is an
extreme change from the bank I used to go to. A pleasant surprise.
Capital One bank is now a coffee house which is an extreme change
www.sun-sentinel.com, 28 Aug. 2017

16. Insights
What types of things had you missed before?
• How automated the banking experience has now become
• How clean and well lighted the Bank was
• There were no tellers t the drive through
• ATM’s at the drive through lanes were differing heights based on your vehicle
What were your biggest surprises?
• Bank tellers are now a position that is extinct due to technology
• Brick and Mortar banks are no longer needed and could be completely phased out in the near
future
• The bank experience has become secondary, or rather, an addition to the coffee house experience
• The main job of the customer service representative in the bank was to walk someone through
using the ATM machine for non intuitive transactions like loan payments and deposits
• The inside of the bank was completely different, no vaults, no tellers, no deposit slips, no lines
Are there opportunities you never noticed before?
• I could buy a bagel, cream cheese and a coffee
• Free internet access and seats and tables to work on for Capital One customers
Bank tellers jobs are extinct due to technology

17. Capital One Bank had the greatest changes and was worth noting in observations
Starbucks –
• The wide assortment of food and how the food case is the brightest well lite area in the store
• The New Gourmet Coffee Bar – Like being moved to a First Class seat on an Airplane
Home Depot
• Seven Home Depot staff at various points in a thirty minute visit asked if they could assist
Wegman’s
• Wegman’s will deliver Wine and Beer which is new
• The Washington DC area is known for its diversity, thus the attention to linguistics is a noticeable touch
Whole Foods
• Right after walking in the store the Values of Whole Foods are on uniquely designed signs
• Most of the customers were not in a hurry compared to other grocery stores
Costco
• Costco is the largest seller of tires in the Washington DC metro area
• During a weekday it appeared as if there was just as many staff to assist as during the weekend
Dicks Sporting Goods
• The knowledgeable, and available staff to assist and answer questions
• A batting cage in the store where a customer could try out baseball equipment prior to purchasing
Capital One Bank
• Capital One bank is now a coffee house which is an extreme change
• Bank tellers jobs are extinct due to technology
Home delivery and online purchase ready for pick up instore is a common trait across all stores

18. References;
• Gould, Skye. “17 Of President Obama's Most Inspirational Quotes.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 4
Aug. 2017, www.businessinsider.com/barack-obama-quotes-inspirational-best-speeches-2017-7.
• Henry, Joanie Cox. “Capital One Cafe Re-Imagines Banking in Delray.” Sun, 28 Aug. 2017, www.sun-
sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/delray-beach/fl-drf-capitalone-0830-20170829-story.html.