Retail surgery: Brands are starting to engage much more directly with customers. What can we learn from them?

Domestic appliance manufacturer Miele Netherlands is a great example of a brand that has decided to evolve its proposition with the creation of an experience centre that customers can visit. It wanted to be known as a servicer, rather than a just a supplier, to help advise customers on how to use its products.

Martin de Munnik, chief inspirational officer of ad agency LaMarque, part of Worldwide Partners, worked with the brand to build an inspiration, demonstration and experience centre that many retailers could learn from when thinking about creating an engaging in-store experience.

He explains that in the 32,000 sq ft ‘Miele Inspirience Centre’ “more than 100 monitors demonstrate the functions and unique selling points of available products. Every product is on display in one of two interactive demonstration theatres.

Visitors to the centre can also surf the web and can browse product specifications. And there is an à la carte restaurant and espresso bar where consumers can relax and discuss their purchases.

“There are two cooking schools, in which chefs cater the desires of 60 cooking enthusiasts a day. Visitors learn all about the appliances, under the guidance of Dutch masterchef Rudolph van Veen,” de Munnik explains.

He continues: “The connection with the brand is also taken care of. There is a waterbar in which 60 different kinds of water can be picked.

While you take a sip you can read all about Miele’s responsibility in diminishing water usage, both in appliances and in the production process. And a tiny museum shows the innovations over the past century.”