An assignment on paying attention, in partial fullfilment of requirements for "A Crash Course on Creativity" by Prof. Tina Seelig, Venture Lab, Stanford University

1. A Crash Course on Creativity
ASSIGNMENT:
ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?
BASSEY DANIEL
OCTOBER 2012

2. A Little Background
• These observations were carried out at The Palms
Shopping Mall in Lagos, Nigeria
• The mall and the shops therein are relatively upscale.
They are much more sophisticated in their
merchandising practices than the average Nigerian
business.
• Nigerians are a bit nervous about cameras, so I had
to operate in stealth mode. This explains why I do
not have as many pictures as would be expected.

3. The Palms Shopping Mall
• The Palms is the leading shopping mall
in Lagos, Nigeria
• It is strategically located to take
advantage of the high brow markets of
Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Lekki
• It is a one-stop shopping and
entertainment center with various
stores, eateries and a cinema
• The mall sets guidelines for display of
signage and other branding materials.
This limits what stores can do

4. Twice as Nice – Unisex Shirts &
Accessories

5. The Environment
The Front Inside
Store front is attractive, • 2 separate small stores
inviting, window display for male & female –
announces sales about 8x10 feet each
• Interiors designed in the
Signage is bold and well brand colors – Purple &
displayed Lilac
Glass walls allow passing • White floor tiles, wood
visitors to see what is paneling, bright lighting
dropping ceiling about 10
inside. Door is open. feet high, not perceivable
smell, no music

6. Personnel Products
2 sales persons are well Shirts arranged by size,
dressed in what might be ties in an array of colors
company shirts. in racks
Wares are stacked on
1 male, 1 female. No
shelves making the best
uniforms. of limited space
Friendly customer New arrivals and sales
relations, but I had to call items are displayed on a
someone to attend to me low center platform,
after about 5 mins. close to eye level

7. Customers
• Customers typically alone
and on a mission, spend
little time browsing (store
is small)
• Brand is associated with
shirts (particularly TM
Lewin), so that is the main
attraction
• Customers typically buy a
shirt except size or desired
design is not available

8. Some Insights
Stores feel pretty crammed; a major turn-off for me
Should explore option of removing middle wall to
merge 2 stores (male & female sections) into one for
better space management and cross-selling across
gender. This might be constrained by mall’s
guidelines
Could also use a wall mirror to create a sense of
space

9. Etisalat – Mobile Service Provider

10. The Front Interiors
Takes advantage of Same dark theme with
corner piece location to luminous lime highlights,
invite passers-by with but intended cozy feeling
window displays
Signage is bold, door is is lost because of the
open, but it doesn’t feel crammed space and long
very inviting queues
The dark theme of the No music, busy display
brand colors and décor wall adds to the feeling of
give a somewhat somber
feel clutter

11. Personnel Products
Sales team dressed in • The phones and tablets
uniform (top only), are easy to notice, though
the display area is a bit
courteous but evidently cluttered
overworked • Most clients are there for
Of mixed gender, voice or data service
purchase or support
young adults whose • What was designed as a
profile fit the store’s central display surface
image has been converted to a
service point

12. Customers Insights
Customers are • Store size is grossly
individuals on a mission inadequate for customer
to buy airtime or traffic
configure/fix devices • Self-service retail points for
They range significantly airtime recharge (or roving
in age and social profile retail agents with POS
Several exit without terminals) would take
making a purchase pressure off core sales staff
because of long queues. • A lighter theme would
Average time on queue create a more airy and
was about 20 minutes welcoming atmosphere

13. Airtel – Mobile Service Provider
Presents a stark contrast
from Etisalat’s look, feel
and customer experience
Signage is bright and
catchy, but not fully lit
Door is open, promo
materials visible through
window

14. Interiors Personnel
 White lighting from high All staff in Airtel tops
ceilings, but not quite bright Mixed gender, young
 Promo materials on all walls adults, well spoken,
dull the light. Some light bulbs consistent with brand
are off. Doesn’t look very nice image
 White tiles slightly darkened by Seem unfriendly, more
traffic work- than customer-
 Several promo jingles looping focused
over PA system, a bit too much No apparent respect for
 Seats provided for waiting queue system, appears
customers disorganized.

15. Customers Insights
Mostly individuals on a Some sales service
mission to buy a points in store or
service or get support around the mall would
Mostly young adults of take some pressure off
various social strata Better lighting would
Some customers join improve the look & feel
the queue, but some Staff could be more
breach it with no pleasant if they were
consequence under less pressure

16. ShopRite – Africa’s WalMart

17. The Front Interiors
Signage is bold and • Spacious layout organized
bright by departments, well
stocked, little clutter
WalMart-style • Large assortment of goods,
merchandizing displays even ready-to-eat food.
at entrance • White floor tiles, bright
lighting, high ceiling, radio
Wide open doors, playing over the PA system
security personnel on • Red, white, yellow
hand, carts readily corporate themes create a
jolly feel
available at the entrance

18. Personnel Products
Sales assistants are • Discounted items, fruits
distributed across and produce greet you as
departments, all in you walk in
uniform • Items organized logically
Mostly female, fairly well by department.
groomed, courteous but • In each department larger,
more focused on more expensive items are
inventory than on clients higher up on the shelves,
but visible
Humble working class • A wide array of impulse
types, profile fits store’s items close to checkout
no-frills discount image counters

19. Customers Insights
• They are a mixed bag – • Checkout area is congested
working mothers on a with used carts/baskets
mission to pick up a few • Some isles cluttered with
things on their way home, empty packaging, inventory
families and friends carts
browsing leisurely with • Customer convenience has
large carts, domestics generally been sacrificed
waiting on a long queue for for more shelf space
fresh bakes • Durable goods section
• Very few customers leave
appears to be least
trafficked. Relatively a
without a purchase waste of space

20. HealthPlus - Pharmarcy Chain
Nice bold signage, door
is open
Decent, organized,
professional look from
outside
Elicits trust

21. Interiors Personnel
Designed in blue & No sales attendants, but
yellow corporate colors, 2 pharmacists on hand to
clean white floor tiles assist on request
Bright white lighting set Cashiers in uniform,
in room height ceiling, pharmacists in neat
no music
Shelves well-stocked, not
white coats
crowded Some customers waiting
Checkout located to the to consult a pharmacist
rear, 1 security personnel All pleasant, fitting
at door store’s image

22. Products Customers
 New line of wheel chairs Mostly lone shoppers on
and mobility aids displayed a mission
by window, also some Those who know the
marketing materials for store layout go straight to
immunization the desired section, some
 No “on sales” items, but browse a bit guided by
fast-moving household the shelf labels, others go
hygiene products in central straight to a pharmacist
displays Little or no queue at
 Products organized on checkout, so customers
shelves by type of ailment spend about 10 mins.

23. Wrangler – Sports & Casuals

24. The Front Interiors
Bold signage, open  White and beige walls,
doors, bright interiors white tiled floor. No
specific color scheme
make the whole store
 No music, bright white
visible from outside
lights, fairly high ceilings,
New arrivals and feels spacious
promotional items  Store is bland, no attempt
displayed at window at aesthetics, no appeal
Dressed manikins are  Sales persons in Wrangler
inviting tops (young adults, mostly
ladies) on hand to assist

25. Products Customers
 Shoes catch the attention as Mostly individuals, a few
one walks in. “For sale” friends in groups
items seem to be displayed Families frequent the
in the relevant sections – no women’s and children’s
central display
sections
 Products arranged by
Mostly browsers,
customer demographic,
apparel type and size
spending at least 20 mins
in store
 Cluttered labels make it a bit
Relatively few make
difficult to determine prices
purchases.

26. A Few Lessons
The most striking observation for me was how things like
store size, ambience, diversity of offerings, business type
and other factors affect the way customer behave in the
stores. The same person who dashes in and out of a
mobile provider outlet may stroll leisurely through the
isles of a departmental store.
I also observed how stores tend to be designed around
the kind of customers they expect to serve. Some get it
right, others get it wrong.
And it seems to be important to pay attention to whether
or not the store continues to meet the needs of target
customers