Why do giants such as Wal-Mart, Staples, and Home Depot pose such a threat to your business, and what you can do to fight back? Shoppers love novelty and big-box stores are new. Sprucing up your store must go beyond making things look better. The goal is to do a better job meeting the customer’s needs.All businesses have a common bond: they exist to serve their customers. To serve customers well, know as much as possible about them. What do they shop for? Is it to fill a need or a want, for “good feelings,” or for “solutions to problems”? Knowing your customers means knowing what makes them feel good and providing them with it, as well as understanding their problems and addressing them. How well does your organization know its customers?
