Customer Intelligence Blog

How well do you know your customers?  Oh sure, you probably (hopefully!) know things that happened at your register like what they buy from you, how often and how much.  But what else do you know?  And how would it help you target your customers to learn more about them.

The other day, I was shopping at Harris Teeter.  Okay, I confess—there is no ATM in my neighborhood, so I ran into the store with my son and grabbed the first decent thing I saw.  It just happened to be a pack of Double Stuff Oreos.  The Halloween edition with the Orange filling instead of white.  So, my son and I head over to the self-pay check-0ut line.  I dutifully scan my Harris Teeter VIC Card—I’m sure Harris Teeter spent many hours and dollars coming up with the name VIC, but I have no idea what it stands for other than I have to use it to get great discounts.  Anyway, after scanning my VIC card and letting my son scan the barcode on our soon to be devoured pack of Oreos, the register asks me “Do you have any coupons?”  My son hit the No button.  Next, the screen asks me “Are you eligible for our Over 60 discounts?”

Whoa!!??  Hold everything.  Why is this cash register wondering if I’m 60?  Do I look 60?  And why, after many trips to this Harris Teeter did they just now decide to ask me if I’m 60 years old?  Do a lot of 60 year olds buy Halloween Double Stuff Oreos?  This is all going through my mind in a flash.  I must admit, I was a bit offended.  I don’t know if any other Harris Teeter customers are feeling the same way or not, but it made me wonder.

Age is an easily obtained demographic.  First, you could just ask for it on your loyalty application.  Or you could simply append it from voter, drivers license, and self-reported data.  It is the most accurate compiled demographic category–other than gender.  The great thing about age is it’s not going to change.  So, once you apply it to your file, you have it.  Then, you can begin offering discounts–like Harris Teeter is–based on age without making some customers feel left out.  Also, you can begin segmenting your customers by age based on purchased habits and begin targeting your marketing better based on what your customer wants.

One final thought.  Can you imagine having your store clerks ask your customers, “Excuse me sir, are you 60 years old?  I want to see if you are eligible for our 60 Rewards Club.”  If you can’t foresee having your clerks ask, don’t have your cash register or kiosk ask either.  There are much better ways of getting the information you need.  Oh yeah, and drivers license data doesn’t lie!