creativity class 2012 assignment #2

1. Terry Richards creativity class 2012 assignment #2
Project definition:-
Photograph Myself
checklist ( by whom )
5 senses
(how)
Creative
Requirements of study of Assignment #2
assignment #2 retail submission
outlets
Fresh insights
Word doc.
( format) (measure)
I identified both organised and un-organised retailers
Definition:- Organised
I. Modern form of retailing
II. Noted for poor supply chain management and aggressive expansion
III. High degree of in-house stock control
IV.
Tesco:- Supermarket use often
McDonald’s:- Fast food store never used
Subway:- Fast food store never used
Un-organised
I. Traditional retailing, but not market stall
II. Labour intensive
Forbidden Planet:- Aspirant store use infrequently
Harrison’s:- Discount store use infrequently
Mal UK:- Aspirant store never used
Use as many senses as possible
Size up people – people watching
Clarity – seeing the world as it is
Curiosity – asking why
Listening skills
Willingness to set aside personal biases

2. Terry Richards creativity class 2012 assignment #2
Photographs
Fig. 1 Tesco main entrance
Fig. 2 signage fronting
main road
Fig. 3 Harrisons cheap and cheerful shop (thanks to Google)

3. Terry Richards creativity class 2012 assignment #2
Fig. 4 Mobile phones (thanks to Google)
Fig. 5 Forbidden planet comics shop

4. Terry Richards creativity class 2012 assignment #2
Fig. 6 fast food
Fig. 7 fast food
Checklist
Tesco Harrisons Mal UK Forbidden McDonald’s Subway
Planet
Before you enter the store:
Style of Rustic
building Barn Traditional Traditional Modern Corporate Corporate
Easy car
parking Yes
Does the store wide interesting
draw you in? doors on window
If so, how? one level No No display No No
Is the door
open or Self Self
closed? Opening Closed Closed opening Closed Closed
How does this Welcome Not Not Welcome Un-welcome Un-welcome
worried worried

5. Terry Richards creativity class 2012 assignment #2
make you
feel? expected expected
How big is
the sign
lettering and
in what font? 3 feet 18 inches 18 inches 18 inches 18 inches 2 feet
Slab and Sci fi upper
italic Slab Caps case Mixed case italics
Environment:
What is the
colour
scheme of the
Red Multi
store? How /Blue / Dark blue coloured Darks
does this White No real happy / colours / Yellow Red Green
affect you? trusty effect relaxed intrigue full of fun fresh
What type of
floor does the
store have?
How does this
effect the Carpet
environment? Marble Carpet Laminate subdued Marble Tiles
Deadens clean
echo’s noise hygienic subdued echo's clean
How high is
12 feet
the ceiling? painted
How does this 15 feet 10 feet 10 feet black full of 12 feet 12 feet
feel? spacious normal normal mystery spacious spacious
How brightly
lit is the Average
Bright lighting Average Moderate
store? How can see need to Need Dark what I Bright can relaxed
does this what search for advice would have a happy eating
affect you? buying items from sales expect time possible
How loud is
the
environment? Moderate Moderate Quite Quite Moderate Moderate
What is
causing the Echo's Echo's Salesman Bustling Bustling
noise? from feet from feet talking Very quite families families
Personnel:
How long 30 mins 15 mins < 1 min 15 mins 3 mins 2 mins
does it take

6. Terry Richards creativity class 2012 assignment #2
before a sales
person
initiates
contact? To
sell
How long
does it take
before a sales
person
initiates Don’t just
contact? To wait for you
talk 15 mins < 1 mins < 10 mins to ask 2 mins 2 mins
Does the
salesperson
have a script
to follow with
each
customer? Yes No No No Yes Yes
Does the
salesperson
treat different
customers
differently? No No Yes Yes No No
How
"Friendly" are Very
the staff Mixed Friendly Friendly friendly Friendly Friendly
Findings
Obtaining pictures of “Harrisons” and “Mal UK” was near impossible due to
the presence of shutters and their late opening times. This resulted in too many people
for a reasonable photo, thus I used Google maps and for this I give them due credit.
I did not expect much from this assignment because I always thought my
observational powers were good. I was surprised at how much I actually miss.
Tesco fig. 1
A small supermarket / convenience store mostly used by mothers taking
children to school collecting snacks, and older people who want to shop away from
the crowds of a larger nearby store. Inside the store, first sales are vegetables and
pizza style food. The building style would indicate a “rustic barn” but looking into the
roof it is more
“Industrial“ with exposed pipes and trunking that I had not noted before. The line of
sight being draw towards eye level. The sign in fig.2 had been in situ for several

7. Terry Richards creativity class 2012 assignment #2
years, but close examination shows the term “meal solutions”, this I did not
understand so I asked the store manager. The answer, “ the sign was changed 6
months ago and “ meal solutions” is and expanded range of ready meals from
economy level to finest. Given that this is a “food stop off” on the school run, it is not
difficult to identify 3 commercial opportunities that I had not thought of before, 2 of
which should generate much free publicity. I am now talking to the store manager re
my ideas.
Harrisons fig.3
This is a shop patronised for its economical range of goods, mostly hardware.
Much of what is for sale is seasonal and what is at wholesaler at the time. There was
nothing outside the shop stating this; stock control is weak with no real time stock
control or computer. Else where the shop is much as I had seen (chaos). Having noted
the poor stock control and lack of flagging what is currently in store, these are topics I
would examine in detail as I think there may be benefits to be had.
Mal UK fig.4
This is two shops in one and I concentrated on the mobile phone side of the
business. This is a very competitive sector and benefits are from “early innovators”,
which this shop does not cater for, concentrating instead on “ flashing or blinging”
your existing phone. The interior is busy and confusing with little chance to browse.
There is overlap between the two sides of the business and it is not easy to separate
either side.
Big mobile phone outlets have dummy models for display where this shop has
none; there is nothing to allow a potential buyer to make an informed choice. I think
first actions should be to give a clearer separation between the two sides of the
business. The driving school is really just booking lessons and just needs an
appointment control system, this would free up floor space for better display of
phones and related. Plus the window is full of signage and should be made less
cluttered so patrons can see in and feel more inclined to enter.
Forbidden Planet fig.5
This shop sells comics and specialist sci fi items and first look is all I expect, I
do use this shop often. There are many items for sale and you are welcome to browse
as long as items are not removed from wrapping. There is little if any contact between
staff and customers; indeed many customers use this as a meeting place.
I noted that customers tend to congregate in the sales area obstructing others
from browsing; I have done this myself and was not aware of the consequences. If it
is to remain a meeting location then I would think a separate area with chairs and
table coffee machine etc; this would allow discussions to flow and may result in
further sales as clients make each other aware of what is in the shop at the moment.
McDonalds fig. 6
This is a chain of shops I have never used. I thought it would be useful to test
my thoughts. The shop was full of families enjoying a birthday party and several
adults alone or in small groups eating and drinking. The staff seemed polite but

8. Terry Richards creativity class 2012 assignment #2
remote as if working from a script. The food was served reasonably fast and seemed
hot, (I did not try any myself) and was welcomed by the customers. All the food
seemed the same size portions and similar quality so people would know what they
were getting. Personally, the food seemed very unexciting and bland so I was not
tempted and there is a big issue with disposal of packaging outside of the shop.
This is a very successful chain of shops so change would be resisted; there are
moves to paint the outside of some shops green to reflect a more environmentally
friendly approach. The packaging seems to be the area to look for improvements but
encouraging people to dispose carefully is very hard. It is possible to use packaging
with a set time for decomposing, e.g. 1 day 3 days etc. which uses banana leaves, is
cost effective and cannot be identified from traditional packing.
Subway fig.7
Again, this is a chain of shops I have never used so see above. The shop has a
green décor to suggest freshness and some but not all food is prepared inshop. There
are lots of signage suggesting what is on offer but most customers seemed to go with
a “BLT” or meat filled sandwich plus a coffee to take away. This is again a successful
chain of shops but to me much of what was on offer was for a limited range of clients,
most choosing traditional food. The food was in disposable packing which is often
just dropped, again difficult for the shop to control. Many customers either take the
food back to their car to eat, or sit on a wall by a bus stop and eat the food whilst
waiting for the bus. When the bus arrives the food and wrapping is simply dropped
over the wall and left for somebody else to pick up. It may be possible for Subway to
site a litter receptacle by the bus stop, on which they could advertise what they are
doing as part of an environmental awareness issue.
Conclusion
I did not realise how restricted my observation was, for example I never
looked at the ceiling in any shop, nor at what people did outside the shop. How they
were encouraged to enter or what their actions were near a shop. With strong
observation and clear thoughts it is possible to identify opportunities, they may not be
viable but the first task is to identify.