Those in search of a whiter and brighter smile have a new option: a trip to the mall. Am I the only one who doesn’t get this? While in Texas we saw kiosks in three different malls offering whiter teeth in just 20 minutes with bleaching treatments on the spot. I only saw one person getting their teeth done. It was quite a sight as shoppers stopped to watch this spectacle. It was as if they were watching a street performer or a magician…waiting to see what the outcome would be. Not exactly for the shy. Maybe they, like me, were shocked to see someone actually paying money to have his teeth worked on in the middle of the mall.
Stores selling a whiter smile have state regulators across the country grappling with the question of what constitutes dentistry. Dentists have raised concerns, urging those longing for a gleaming grin to visit the dentist, not the mall. Unique? Yes. Good business model? Not a chance.
Looks like a white elephant to me.
Categories: business · marketing
Tagged: business, marketing, Teeth whitening
I recently returned from a business trip in Texas. While there, my wife and I took a three day excursion to San Antonio. On the drive from Houston to San Antonio, we began to see interesting billboards for a gas station / convenience store called Buc-ee’s. The billboards started about 80 miles away and every 5 or 6 miles would appear with humorous sayings to pique your interest. We needed gas, so decided to stop and experience Buc-ee’s.
I can honestly say that Buc-ee’s should be the standard by which all gas station convenience stores should be measured. The cleanliness was one of the first things we noticed. The enormous bathrooms were extremely clean and nicely decorated; and the fact that they were decorated at all is noteworthy. (This was particularly impressive to my wife, a self-proclaimed germ-o-phobe.) There were plenty of cash register lines open. The clerks were not multi-tasking while customers waiting to be served. The customer came first. Buc-ee’s also has a large selection of Buc-ee’s branded merchandise for sale. (Although I passed on the Buc-ee’s beaver boxer shorts, we did pick up a fridge magnet.) They did have food available, but we are not talking about pre-packaged-gas-station-food. There was a fresh food counter with staff preparing made to order food.
Buc-ee’s strives to be excellent and to separate themselves from other gas station convenience stores. Do a google search on Buc-ee’s and you will find scores of compliments from people who have visited one of their 21 locations in Texas.
Buc-ee’s is a Red Giraffe.
Categories: business · marketing
Tagged: Buc-ees, Kelowna, Okanagan, Red Giraffe, Sales, Strategic Marketing, Texas
