This summer, IKEA opened a new store close to home with great fanfare. 4000 people lined up in the rain to be among the first to experience this momentous event. I visited the mythical store a few weeks later to understand the phenomenon and to try out the couches as mine were quite past their prime!
I went with my wife to the IKEA store and the parking lot was filling up fast. Families, couples of all ages, single people were flock to the blue and yellow store as if they were rushing into an amphitheater to attend the show of their favorite artist. Going to IKEA is not just a visit to a furniture dealer, it’s an experience!
Let’s go back to parking, which is the second point of contact (after consulting the website for opening hours). Large parking spaces are available and wide enough for SUV or pickup trucks. Parking areas are also clearly identified to help you find your vehicle when exiting the store. It’s a small detail, but I’m always surprised to see the number of parking lots where no clear signage exists.
Then comes the moment to enter. Smiling employees (gasp!) greet us. We can take a bag for shopping. So we climb the stairs that will take us to an immersive experience.
IKEA distinguishes itself from competitors by creating real rooms with all the furniture and accessories presented harmoniously. Not only can we touch the furniture, try it, sit down, lie down, we can also visualize it in the context of a real kitchen, a real dining room, a real living room, a real bedroom or a real bathroom. It’s quite simple – although it certainly requires more effort than arranging furniture by category as seen elsewhere – but it is quite effective.
The space representing the first apartment, named “25 square meters”, where we see a real first apartment with all the furniture is quite brilliant.
And IKEA does not skimp on the staging. You open a wardrobe? There you will find clothes. You open the door of a pantry? You will find pasta, preserves, jams like in a real pantry. Everywhere, you can find “Look inside!” stickers that invite you to discover how IKEA can help you better organize your stuff. Everything, absolutely everything is planned and thought out to allow you to project yourself as a proud owner of the presented furniture.
The text accompanying some presentations focuses on benefits and value. For example: “Down with stress and clutter in your kitchen” presents solutions for arranging dishes and cutlery, “Clever solution around the sink” offers ideas for soap, dishcloth, etc.
Everywhere, stands offer pencils, paper, and measuring tapes. This is called anticipating the need. And that’s without counting the many employees who are there to assist you in shopping. There are also computer stations that allow you to know where the object or the desired piece of furniture is located in the warehouse.
Arrows projected on the ground indicate the direction of foot traffic. Signs clearly show where you are, and a plan similar to ones found in a subway shows the different areas of the vast store, including highlighting the restrooms.
IKEA also adapts to your situation and your preferences. You want to buy new couches, but have a compact car? It provides a delivery service. You hate using a small Allen key? Someone can take care of the assembly. You are not sure that you will like your purchase? You can return it. It’s written on the walls of the store.
Then comes checkout. Nearby are basic tool sets: hammer, pliers, screwdriver, wrench and screws. That’s a fantastic idea for those who do not have the toolbox of a handyman.
The cashier I met was in a good mood, smiling, and seemed happy to work for the Swedish company, despite the fact that the day before was quite busy. We had a “Thank you” and a “Have a nice day!” Wow!
Then, just before leaving, the smell of the freshly baked cinnamon buns entices us to extend the IKEA experience at home.
In my humble and professional opinion, IKEA embodies the customer experience. I’ll be back, that’s for sure!
Originally published on Les Affaires blog – © Daniel Lafrenière – All rights reserved