Final in store findings

Findings

What did we learn?

What are the possible In-Store Customers Scenarios for generating a lead?

• Scenario 1: Customer knows upfront they need a service.

• Scenario 2: Customer learns about DIFM opportunities from Specialty Associate • Scenario 3: Customer bought something and needs it installed.

• Scenario 4: Customer asks Associate in the Aisle for DIFM recommendation

Customers Journey Scenario 1: Customer knows upfront they need a service.

1A: Customer finds THD customer service phone number on HD.com and calls Service Desk, Pro Desk, or Specialty Desk.

Associate generates the lead on their desktop while on the phone with the customer.

1B: Customer enters THD and asks first available Associate about the service.

Those are generally at Service or Pro Desks. Associate generates the lead.

Customers Journey Scenario 2: Customer learns about DIFM opportunities from Specialty Associate 2A: Specialty Associate asks Customer if they need something (proactive), and generates the lead after conversation (even if the lead is not related to department they work in) 2B: Customer asks Specialty Associate about DIFM service, Specialty Associate generates the lead (even if the lead is not related to department they work in)

Customers Journey Scenario 3: Customer bought something and needs it installed.

Customer bought the product. He comes to the Service Desk or Pro Desk and asks about the DIFM service. Associate generates the lead.

Customers Journey Scenario 4: Customer asks Associate in the Aisle for DIFM recommendation 4A: Associate generates a lead on their First Phone.

4B: If the First Phone is not available Associate walks with the customer to the desk with computer (the nearest or in quietest area) and generates the lead.

4B 4C

4C: If the associate doesn’t feel comfortable with generating leads they walk around and look for superior for help.

4A

4D

4D: If the associate is busy with other duties, they send the customer to the Specialty Desk, Pro Desk, or Service Desk. The lead is generated from there.

Where are Pro Referral Leads generated in the store?

There are differences in the layout, but what is inside is generally the same.

All stores have Department aisles, Service Desk, Pro Desk, Specialty Desks, Checkouts.

Where are PR leads being generated in the store?

San Carlos Store: average 5 PR leads per week, Location of Associates who generated many PR leads within last month:

Flooring 6

Service Desk 4

Millwork 2

Pro Desk 2

Why are PR leads being generated mostly at the Pro Desk, Service Desk, and Specialty Desks?

1. For the customers who just entered the store, Pro Desk and Service Desk are generally the first place customers see associates willing to help. This was observed in 4 out of 5 stores visited.

2. There are not enough first phones on the floor. Even if the associate has access to one, they might not know how to navigate Service Connect through it. The Process of learning how to submit Pro Referral lead can easily be forgotten if not practiced by new hired associates. In that case associates send customers to desks.

3. Customers are being sent to associates who are more experienced in generating leads. Associates at specialty departments have more experience in generating leads in general. Due to their experience they are better skilled in recommending the service even for customers who don’t ask about it first and even for services not related to their departments.

4. Associates working on the floor have many duties, and aren’t necessarily as experienced navigating Service Connect on the first phone; therefore, they send customers to the desks.

5. Frequent Customers know that Home Depot has relationships with Pros so they call Pro Desk, Service Desk, or Specialty Desk for Pro recommendation. Associate generates the lead on their

desktop while talking with the Customer on the phone.

What are customers emotions while asking for DIFM recommendation in the store? How do they differ based on who generates the lead?

Customers emotions while generating PR lead in the store: • Confidence: Customers trust Home Depot to have relationships with Pros and look forward to recommendations • Disappointment: Customers expect Pros to contact them sooner, feel disappointed if Associate informs them that it takes up to 48 hours. Some of them are also disappointed that the Pro contacts them right-away while customer is still in the store.

• Trust: The information about being insured and bonded is highly valued by customers

Customers emotions while generating PR lead at the Pro Desk: • Expectation: Customers expect that Home Depot has relationships with Pros and this is why they look for DIFM recommendations at the Pro Desk. At some stores, inexperienced or busy Associates working in the aisles send customers to the Pro Desk.

• Waiting time: “Pro Desks tend to be very busy. More leads are being generated at the Pro Desk over the evenings and weekends, when there are not so many Pros in the store” • Discomfort: “It can be intimidating in here.

There are busy Pros around carrying lots of stuff waiting at the same line as customers, and those carts in this area are very noisy.”

Customers emotions while generating PR lead at the Service Desk: • Expectation: Customers expect that Home Depot has relationships with Pros and this is why they look for DIFM recommendations at the Pro Desk. At some stores inexperienced or busy Associates working at the aisles send customers to the Service Desk.

• Waiting time: Service Desks are usually very busy.

Customers have to wait here to be able to talk to the associate. Some of them are calling in and it also takes time for the associate to pick up the phone and generate the lead. At times customers will walk out of the store if Service Desk is overloaded. • Comfort: Generally Associates at the Service Desk are better trained in Customer Service which leads them to offering better experience for the customer.

Customers emotions while generating PR lead at the Specialty Desk: • Expectation: Customers expect that Home Depot has experienced specialists offering broad services and this is why they look for DIFM recommendations at the Specialty Desks. Generally inexperienced or busy Associates working at the aisles send customers to the Specialty Desks. • Comfort: Generally specialty desks are in areas that are more quiet and allow for comfortable conversation between customers and experienced specialists. Specialist Associates generally have also more time to explain how the service works and give additional advices based on their knowledge. • Professionalism: specialty Associates are usually experienced in the area of their expertise. They tend to connect with customers on the conversation level, and generate leads from there.

Customers Emotions while generating PR lead in the Aisle: • Expectation: Customers expect that Home Depot has relationships with Pros and this is why they ask associates in the aisles for DIFM recommendations.

• Looking for available Associates: Aisle Associates are usually very busy. Customers have to look for them and/or wait for them to assist other customers.

• Inexperienced or busy Associates: Associates who are newly hired or busy tend to send customers who need DIFM recommendation to the desks. (Pro desk, Service Desk, Specialty Desks).

• Devices: Even though theoretically every department owns at least one first phone, not every Associate in the aisles has access to it due to many circumstances. If there is no first phone in hand and the Associate knows how to navigate SC, he/she visits the nearest (or the quietest space with) desktop computer together with customer. It makes him leave their department for some time and other customers may assume there is nobody in the aisle at all who could assist them.

What is the difference between Associate working in the Aisle and Specialty Associate? Why do Aisle Associate struggle with generating PR leads?

vs

Aisle Associate:

Specialty Associate:

• Doesn’t use Service Connect a lot

• Knows Service Connect very well

• Theoretically owns first phone, but not always.

Even if they do, the might not know how to navigate Service Connect through it.

• Desktop computer is always available nearby

• Has less expertise in the field • Greater rotation: more new hires • Generally more busy with other duties than submitting leads

• Has more expertise in the field • Operates phone so can submit leads also when someone calls in • Generally less busy with other duties than submitting leads

Why does Aisle Associate struggle with generating PR leads?

• Associates in the Aisles have other duties: assisting customers with finding and choosing products, stocking products.

• They have usually only one first phone per department, so their access to SC is limited in the area of their department.

• They are usually not tech-savvy • They might have minimal expertise of the services related to their department • There are many new hires, so they usually don’t have experience with generating leads.

General Findings: • 7 out of 10 customers don’t interact with associates at all • PR categories throw Associates off • In Daly City only Service Desk and Pro Desk generate PR leads • Associates are curious what happens after they submitted the lead for the customer (The want to know whether the lead went through, whether all selected pros contacted the customer and whether customer chose some pro to do the work).

• ”50% of customers will buy a product only after receiving quote of installment” • “It takes forever for SC to load”