“It’s hard to communicate concepts without real added value for customers”

ACROSS: WHAT MOTIVATED MISTER SPEX TO OPEN A BRICKS-AND-MORTAR SHOP? AND WHY IN ALEXA?

JENS PETER KLATT: We firmly believe in the multichannel strategy we initiated with the launch of our Partner Opticians Program in 2011. That way, we can now offer our customers ophthalmic services at about 550 locations in Germany. The development of an own-store concept was the next logical step. We analyzed our target group and the current customer base very carefully and compared these to some locations in Berlin. The result showed that Alexa offered the best opportunities for success for our first Mister Spex store.

ACROSS: WHAT CONCLUSIONS HAVE YOU DRAWN FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE NEW “OFFLINE WORLD”?

KLATT: We are currently very satisfied with our high-traffic location in Alexa. We also took this step into the offline world to better understand the needs of our customers and at the same time to take away some of their fear of the online world. We are learning every day about both processes.

ACROSS: WOULD YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN A COMPETITION LIKE “FIRST STORE BY ALEXA”?

KLATT: Of course we would have loved to participate and are therefore a bit sad that this competition has come about so soon after our opening and that our participation is therefore excluded. On the other hand, we’re really pleased that we can be part of the jury.

ACROSS: WHAT CONDITIONS MUST PARTICIPANTS DEFINITELY MEET FOR YOU AS A MEMBERS OF THE JURY?

KLATT: The consistent communication of the concept on both channels, and therefore the consistent implementation of a successful online business into an offline business, is certainly a prerequisite for a unified customer journey and thus a distinctive customer experience. That is the only way to differentiate oneself successfully from the competition. I think that participants can only be admitted to the competition if they have proved the real innovativeness of their product, service, or concept. I also think it’s hard to communicate concepts without real added value for customers.

ACROSS: DO YOU THINK THAT THE “FIRST STORE BY ALEXA” SELECTED BY THE PUBLIC IN STAGE 2 WILL OVERLAP WITH THE CHOICE OF THE JURY?

KLATT: No, not necessarily, but that’s what makes it so exciting …