Look to the Large!

In a past job, I worked with a gentleman named Hans-Juergen who managed the company's sales and distribution office in Germany. He had a reputation for being strong-willed and getting into tussles with headquarters, but he was also a shrewd businessman, even inspiring at times. "Look to the large!" he once exclaimed in rough English at a meeting. I think he meant "see the big picture" or "don't miss the forest for the trees". This is good advice in marketing.

We tend to think a product is the widget that the customer takes off the shelf and buys, but it is much more. The "whole product" is everything a customer experiences when interacting with your business and owning a product. This includes the:

• Look, layout and cleanliness of the store
• Smile and pleasant demeanor of the sales person, or lack thereof
• Packaging
• Quality and reliability
  
• Price and terms
  
• Warranty policy and follow-on services
• Brand image as projected into the marketplace
• What other people say about your business (word of mouth)

These factors and more are part of the total customer experience. They affect how customers perceive your products and, ultimately, the sales and success of the business.

So if you want to offer a great whole product, take it from Hans-Juergen and look to the large!