How to transform a retail store that is ensconced on all sides by competitors into a truly engaging experience.

1. There’s
something
happening at
THE MOBILE
STORE…

2. If you have opened this
presentation…
Then you probably ended up believing that
what I said in the mail could be true…

3. Yes, picture this as The Mobile
Store in Elgin Road…

4. Problem is…

5. Mobility StoreApple Store
Spice Samsung
Vodafone store
Local Phone store
Great Eastern
Gadget Mall
… you are not the only ‘mobile’ store
there. Here’s your store position on the road.

6. To add to the spice…
1. Your products are not visible from the outside.
1. The Mobility Store has just come up next door flanked by the Apple store –and
they are better designed with flashy white interiors and red shoptops.
2. The Samsung café is right opposite with a Spice just beside it.
3. The tech mall offers a better variety and a better ambience just behind.
4. The discounts are better if I go to the local store. The Vodafone store offers
better offers in terms of connections.
5. And if I am looking for accessories – I might just end up at the local mobile
store… because they keep everything from JBL headphones to local chinese
variety under one roof.

7. Mobility StoreApple Store
Spice Samsung
Vodafone store
Local Phone store
Great Eastern
Gadget Mall
Here’s the equation – what each of them
offers…
Style and pride
Variety
Freshness
Authenticity
Variety and
Convenience
Convenience Authenticity

8. And this is what your store
looks like from outside…

10. That’s about 1500 sq feet of
real expensive real estate
space…
Is it only for 3rd party standees? Elgin Road
happens to be one of the most expensive
office areas in the city of Kolkata. And you
are not even displaying the mobile phones
directly.

11. So what can this kind of
competition lead to?

12. And this is probably not the
only store where you will get
this surprise… there must be
others with similar problems.

13. So, this made me think a
bit…
And I wondered who the real hero of
your brand is…

14. It can’t be the mobile phones…
they are the heroes of the
mobile phone companies.

15. … it can’t be your staff either.
They will change with time.

16. So, it has to be
The Store itself!!!

17. So, if your hero is the store…
What is it that will make it a HIT in
Elgin Road?

18. So, the thought is…
The concept of a store is to cater to a
neighbourhood. It has to be inherently social,
dynamic, and charismatic to stand out…
Therefore, first you need to be a good neighbour
in a neighbourhood and then move up the ladder
to be a leader in your community.

19. Almost like the weekend sports hero
in your apartment complex.

20. Or the local Parisian Priest.

21. So, let’s ponder over what’s
going to make this store, the
hero of the neighbourhood.

22. What does the neighbourhood
have
2 top Kolkata schools Several top of the line
shops
One of the top malls
in the city
Offices that range
from real big ones to
niche
One of the SEC A+
colleges in the city
One of the top malls
in the city - Forum

23. Let’s look at the emotional
impact of such a street.

24. Busy days in office
Off hour coffee breaks
Window shopping
Hanging around the mall
Gifthunting at Crossword

25. So, where does the
opportunity lie?

26. The best retail experiences
do not just offer shopping…
They also act as great culture
centers..

27. Some brands that do it in a
classy way…
• IKEA
• Burberry
• Apple Store
• Elektra Bikehub
• Sole Rebels

28. Some iconic
culture centers

29. Sole Rebels Shop

30. Electra Bikehub

31. SPAR LIQUEOR

32. Firstly, let’s say I’m not suggesting re-
designing the store…
instead, I’m suggesting the way the
store appears to the people around it
– a primarily SEC A+, A and B+
audience.

33. Stage 1:
Re-engineer the role of
the store.

34. Present role of the store
To offer a wide variety of mobile
phones and accessories by the best
brands.

35. Possible role of the store
To bring people together by addressing a
single need ‘ to connect with others better’.
Cellphone, the mode of connecting, becomes
ancillary to the purpose here.

36. What are the changes you
can do?
1. Let the store help create a local hyper community.
2. Let the store stand for something that the people of the
locality find as a ‘need’.
3. Let the store get people together from time to time.

37. Stage 2:
Process of re-engineering

38. What does the street lack?
• A uniting factor… something that connects the street, its people,
their aspirations and their emotions.
• It’s just like any other street in the city – indifferent, busy and
lacking in human warmth.

39. So, position your store as…
The social store
The networked store
The happening store
Create a service that’s different from what’s around

40. What can you bring in
• Warmth
• Understanding
• Activities
• Socializing
• Celebrations

41. Idea 1: the Elgin News
• Let your store be a one point place to know what’s happening around
Elgin Road.
• Which movies are on in Forum
• Which new offices have come up here
• What’s the temperature right now in the city
• Who’s organising a party next door
• Use your store window to be a gazette – at best put up a daily poster or a
screen with the information about Elgin Road.
• It can be anything from a whiteboard with recent news to a digital display
screen with shifting slides.
• It will ensure that people stand outside your store just to see where
they are and what is it that’s happening around them.

42. Idea 2: Celebrations
• If everyone celebrates traditional festivals like
‘Durga Puja’, ‘Christmas’ – you can move aside from
that and start with a few offbeat celebrations like
World Kiss Day, World Boss Day, etc.
• Add that to your celebratory listing and celebrate
them with special Mobile Store offers.
• Instead of discounts on phones, offer discounts on
accessories for these special days.

43. Idea 3: Warmth
• Try a different colour on the uniforms – instead
of the predominant and intimidating red – try a
different uniform.
• Something that creates newsability.
• Alternatively, augment their uniform with
something that looks cool – like shades, or a golf
cap – stuff that differentiates from other stores.

44. Idea 4: Make celebrities out of
your employees
• You have store ambassadors – try and make
them famous.
• If one of them has a birthday – do announce
it in the store in a written format. Let your
customer know that today he is being served
by the Birthday boy/Girl.

45. Idea 5: Contests
• You can skip re-designing your store by doing something
interesting there, such as:
– Use special days to organise contests around phones.
– A Samsung Grand photograph of the week during Valentine’s
Day with couples.
– Dress code contests – for example, a ‘blue’ day where anyone
wearing an interesting blue combination gets to win something
along with a buy.
– A street view film contest – where you capture something
interesting on your cellphone on Elgin Road and showcase it on
a big screen at the store.

46. In short…
You can use your store to try out something that hasn’t
been tried out in the area before.
Create a neighbourhood store with something like the
‘Elgin News’ and once it starts to catch on, start moving
into the other areas of attraction.

47. Sorry for taking your time.