Not only the title of Paul Moers’ book “Fuck the price, long live the service”, but mainly his article in the AD of Friday, August 14, “It’s about serving, not about earning”, confirms again that retail lags more than 20 years behind regarding strategic developments compared to other industries. Why?

I fully agree with Paul Moers that most retail companies do not go beyond old-fashioned operational marketing campaigns such as clearance sales, discount managment and cheap purchases. Indeed, this results in continuous price erosion and a rat race to the bottom.

In his new book, Paul Moers advises companies to now focus on excellent service like Coolblue does.

When I was twelve I already heard from my father (who works at the Vendex Group and is now 104 years old ..) that retail companies strive for excellent service.

Now Paul Moers in his new book advises retail companies to once again enter the rat race to the bottom with regard to me-too general excellent service and to let it serve and not earn, while many retail companies are now falling over or in danger of falling ?!

Creating value strategically, transcending old-fashioned product-market thinking, serving and earning, seems to be very difficult for retail companies and retail industry advisors.

Is the lack of clarity, concreteness of what functions the retail companies have or could have, what specific needs they actually fulfill? Is it a lack of creative combinations of why, what, where, how and when? Is it the culture in retail? Is it simply a lack of strategic innovation? Or a combination of all of this?

“In a winning and successful retail company, excellent service is just a hygiene factor,” a CEO told me 20 years ago …

Leaving the “retail” function could be the first big step. This may be necessary for relevant strategic further development. The actual strategic value is created in fulfilling and / or combining other or new strategic functions such as entertainment, fun, developing or saving a relationship, enjoying together, relaxation, foreplay for intimate and personal ” events ”, and much more!”

Fortunately, there are winning (serving and earning) retail companies such as Spar and Rituals.

What do they do then?

We can safely explain this during a strategic cup of coffee!

For a first impression of Spar, see: https://pjstrategy.com/2019/09/02/er-zijn-genoeg- possibilities-voor-de-retail/

Peter Olyslager | 06-22803746 | peterolyslager@pjstrategy.com