In the current economy, it’s important for companies to take the steps necessary to find ways to add value to their business. Part one and part two of this series gave plenty of value-adding ideas companies can utilize.
However, if you’re a business owner or employer skeptical that adding value can help your business—or you just want some real-life examples—here are some companies that are currently finding ways to add value to their businesses.
Real-Life Value-Adding Examples
- Whole Foods Market—The national healthy grocery store chain is hosting an in-store food- and drink-tasting event the day before the Super Bowl to get customers to come to the store and purchase their game-day food there.
This adds value because it allows customers to sample foods and drinks before they purchase them, that way they know ahead of time whether they like the food/drink or not, which saves them time, money and makes their life easier.
Whole Foods is using the Super Bowl as an opportunity to:
-Help customers make healthy game-day food choices
-Spotlight the fact that they sell prepared platters
-Allow customers to sample some of the food and beverages carried in the store
On top of those three reasons, Whole Foods is also using the Super Bowl as a chance to gain more exposure for its stores because there will likely be people attending the parties the Whole Foods customers are throwing that aren’t currently customers. But if they taste something at the party they like, they may just find themselves shopping at Whole Foods next time they need groceries.
- Starbucks—The national coffee franchise has created a reward program, that’s tied to their Starbucks gift cards, called the Starbucks Card Rewards program.
By purchasing a Starbucks gift card (or using a card received as a gift) and registering it at Starbucks.com, customers get in-store:
- Beverage customization—if customers use their registered Starbucks Card to purchase beverages, they can add drink options, such as flavored syrup or soy milk, for free.
- Refills on brewed coffee—if customers use their registered Starbucks Card to purchase brewed coffee, they get free refills during the same visit.
- Free beverage with bean purchase—if customers use their registered Starbucks Card to purchase 1 pound (or more) of coffee beans, they get a tall beverage of their choice free.
- Free WiFi—if customers register their Starbucks Card on Starbucks.com, they get up to 2 hours of free WiFi in-store every day.
Also, Starbucks gift cards are refillable so customers can use the same card over and over again, which helps reduce waste.
- Capital One—This credit card giant has created a “Build Your Own Card” program that allows customers to build their own card by choosing a graphic and their own terms and conditions (of course, this option is based on a customer’s credit score/history, and there is no guarantee they will get the terms they ask for).
Customers can also upload their own image so they can have a credit card with their dog’s picture on it or their favorite family photo or a photo of their children, etc. The possibilities are endless.
Now these are just three examples. There are plenty of companies all over the United States and throughout the world that are finding ways to add value to their business.
And it is these companies—that are being innovative, that are surging ahead despite the economic crisis, that are finding ways to improve customers’ lives—that stand a chance for continued success in the future.
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