The customer
I’m usually a loyal Boots customer, primarily driven by their advantage card. However, I’ve recently been venturing into Superdrug. Their choice of makeup has greatly improved and both their store layout and product displays create a superior shopping experience to that of Boots. Superdrug have recently introduced their own loyalty to rival that of Boots. A great shopping experience and a new loyalty card – they’ve taken Boot’s winning formula and are using it to their own advantage, a particularly intriguing prospect.
The experience
On my dinner last week, I needed to pop into a drugstore for some makeup essentials. I wandered over to Superdrug, quickly whizzed round the store and approached the till. The lady at the till asked me if I had a Superdrug card – thankfully I did. The card went through and all seemed fine until the lady portrayed a strange look on her face. She advised me that the shopping had ‘not gone through’ and she would need to scan it all again. Following this, it still was ‘not going through’. Confused she asked her Manager. At this stage it became clear. Apparently I had won a free basket of shopping for being a Superdrug member! The Manager apologised and kindly stated ‘Enjoy the freebies!’
The alignment
The Superdrug brand is all about making beauty accessible through great service and fun. Whilst I feel that Superdrug are on the right path - little moments like the above could be greatly enhanced and should act to reinforce the brand. It goes without saying, getting a free basket of goods was the highlight of my day and I’ve given multiple accounts of the story since – however I’ve also had to explain the confusion it caused and how it dampened the experience. Brand amplifying moments need to be seamless and well communicated across the company. Without careful consideration these moments can easily detract from the brand.
