The document summarizes the author's observations from visiting various stores in Caracas, Venezuela on a Monday afternoon. Some of the stores she visited included a fabric store, pharmacy, hardware store, bookstore, and coffee shop. At each location, she took note of the customers, employees, products, decorations, and opportunities for improvement. Overall, the experience gave her new insights into these everyday businesses.

1. *
By Stefania Straga Perroni

2. * Running errands in Caracas can be a really
adventure. It could take you all day long or
just five minutes.
* I went a Monday afternoon to a crowed
boulevard in Caracas -Sabana Grande- to run
some errands, but doing so, I tried to see
beyond the noises, the busy schedule and the
familiar places.

3. *
* I’ve been in this four-story-and-no-windows building a
few times before. This time something curious
happened: I missed the store entrance and had to turn
and walk back!
* Between the infinite amount of fabrics, textures and
colors I met Gloria, the employee that helped me
finding what I was looking for. She was grumpy but not
rude. She worked really fast and in a matter of 10
minutes she found, cut and folded my purchase. I saw
other “sales executives” to work with the same speed.
* This time I did something different. Instead of going
directly to pay and then pick up my fabrics, I followed
Gloria. She had to go down to ground floor (we were
in the 3rd floor) and left them to another employee
who’d put it on a bag.

4. Other things I found out:
* There are a lot more female employees than
male employees. Like 90%-10%. The only male
employees I saw didn’t have contact with the
costumers.
* Costumers don’t usually go alone to buy in the
store. A mom with her children are the
common type of costumer. They need asistance
in the store.
* Another common costumer is the fashion
designer. They seem to know exactly what
they’re looking for and where to find it.

5. * The entrance! It should be flashier, brighter. A
window that shows what’s inside so people don’t
miss it. Signs all along the boulevard could help in
this.
* The “sales executives” should have a few standard
lines when initiating contact with the costumer. At
least to say their names.
* A lot of fashion designers buy their fabrics there,
maybe they could show their work in mannequins in
some areas of the store. It could be a inspiration for
others.
*

6. *
* This is a store that belongs to a big chain of
drugstores. They call it “health supermarket”.
* As usual in Venezuela, the pharmacy area is always
full, specially with old people and young mothers.
* Five of ten people I saw buying their meds made a
“shock” face when knowing the final price of the
purchase.
* Employees are dressed with green scrubs, seeming
like real nurses or pharmacists.
* Once you pay and you’re leaving the store you have
to give your receipt to an employee that will stamp
it with the logo of the store.
* They have a web series called “Family dose”
featuring a family of animated pills.

7. *
* The store had 15 aisles of tools and hardware.
* It had signs to help you find what you’re looking for,
but they’re very general.
* There were more male employees than female, they
wore a bright t-shirt so you can find them very easily.
* The slogan “Helping to build homes” is all over the
store with big blue letters.
* It’s also a store where the customers usually goes in
pairs. I saw 5 couples shopping.
* The mothers that visited the store with their children
get pretty stressed out trying to look out for them
while going through the store

8. * There could be a “playroom” or some area
specially for kids while their parents go
shopping.
* A map of the store could make a lot easier to
find the aisles and the products.
*

9. *
* This book store also belongs to a big chain. So I
never expect to find something unusual in it.
* This time I was surprised, they had a wide variety of
subjects, including fashion, history and music –
that’s really odd-.
* “50 shades of Grey” is also a bestseller here. I don’t
know why but the window where they show it is
almost empty and the remaining books are really
far from eachother.
* First shop where the employee offers his help.
* Another bestseller: greeting cards and stuffed
animals.

10. *
* I waited the rush hour to be over here, a really small
coffe shop.
* Everything is already packed, yet everything seemed
very fresh. On the other hand the labels on it didn’t
have a lot of information about the products.
* There were sandwiches, salads, desserts, snacks and
coffee. Besides tea an coffee, there wasn’t no other
natural beverages
* The only shop I visited with Halloween decorations.
* The counter was really small, yet they had a big flat
TV behind them.
* The background music was a Laura Pausini concert but
the TV was in the sport channel.

11. * They should display the ingredients and value
information about their products, that’s always
a plus.
* The music and visual content should be aligned
with the concept of the shop.
* They could have some activities , magazines or
newspapers for those costumers who wait to
rush hour to end.
*

12. * After a few hours of walking, going up, going
down, looking for what I needed and looking
for the unusual, I felt exhausted and came
home. To be honest I didn’t think I found
something unusual when I was there -because
of that there are not many pictures-. But
somehow when I started to build this
presentation everything flowed.
*