Are you a Crate & Barrel nonprofit?
- Mon, January 08 2007
- Filed under: Marketing essentials
My favorite economist recently told me a story about ordering furniture from Crate & Barrel. He had spent thousands of dollars on a sofa, armchair and ottoman, and he wanted to phone in to the store some additional, non living-room chairs to his order to save on shipping costs (Crate & Barrel charges one, flat delivery fee). It was a complete nightmare because the housewares department (home to the new chairs) had trouble interacting with the furniture department to consolidate the order. At least half a dozen phone calls were required as Crate & Barrel, which is apparently more siloed than an agribusiness empire, tried to internally interact sufficiently to accept money from a customer for a cross-departmental order.
Last night, the economist received a call from the housewares manager saying her chairs were ready to ship but was clueless about the other items. Her answer to complaints about the continuing lack of coordination made me nearly fall out of my (non Crate & Barrel) chair.
She said the departments were separate, and that she’d have to call back to find out the status of the other items. The economist said this was an irrational way to run a store, to which she responded, “Crate & Barrel actually considers it a convenience that we offer our customers the ability to buy housewares and furniture under one roof.”
(imbok 2000, flickr)
Say what? Did she seriously think we should be glad there are many siloes on the Crate & Barrel farm and willingly climb each to get what we want? Or, to mix metaphors, I guess we just need to deal with the fact that furniture is in a crate and housewares are in a barrel.
Here is the reason I’m sharing this story, in case you’re still with me: This is actually the way many organizations work. So many times, I’ve been asked to write a brochure or create a web site that is based on the way the organization is structured rather than how the customer - or donor - sees it. “First, explain our three program areas,” someone will say. But why? Do people need to know you’ve sorted something into three crates and barrels?
Make sure you don’t make a mastery of your various “parts” a prerequisite to interacting with your organization. Organize your organization according to how your clients and donors view you, rather than how you operate internally. And if you can’t do that, then at least organize your external operations that way.
Your brochure, web navigation, phone trees—if they are perfectly aligned with your departments, you’re in trouble.
Comments
There are also millions of smaller NPOs that provide social services or the arts to people throughout the world. There are more than 1.6 million NPOs in the United States alone.
Crate & Barrel is a chain of American retail stores, based in Northbrook, Illinois, specializing in housewares, furniture (indoor and out), and home accessories.Crate and Barrel offers a variety of “upmarket” housewares, furniture, and related merchandise. These are displayed in the “vignette” style, where items are grouped together as they might appear in the home. The company was an innovator of this style, which has since become more widely used.
I’m sharing this story, in case you’re still with me: This is actually the way many organizations work. So many times, I’ve been asked to write a brochure or create a web site that is based on the way the organization is structured rather than how the customer - or donor - sees it.
My entire bedroom set is from Crate & Barrell. It was not cheap but it is made cheap. My bed keeps falling apart and the front of my dresser drawers fall off. My friend purchased a what appeared to be a nice dining room table and it has no durability. If you slide a glass accross the table it make a mark that you cant remove. Horrible experience.
I’ve got a Crate & Barrel story.
August 12, 2009
There was, a promotion going on when I bought two bedroom dressers last fall. As the salesman described it to me I could defer payment for six months. Then , after six months all I had to do was make monthly payments. So that’s what I did. And then I noticed a $332.00 finance charge. I guessed it was a mistake so I called. I was told that yes, the payment was deferred for six months but then I was to pay the ENTIRE balance in that seventh month. I didn’t so they charged me over $300 in charges
Sharon barett, sounds like you never bothered to read the credit card contract you signed. You might want to do that next time. As I understand c&b has 3 months deferred on $700 and 6 months on $1000. And yes the contract states the intrest accruses..
With all those charges I think its better to be wiser when the nest time comes when you have to do a favor and end up losing because of their failures. Good thing it is being talked about, at least many will become aware.
With all those charges I think its better to be wiser when the nest time comes when you have to do a favor and end up losing because of their failures. Good thing it is being talked about, at least many will become aware.
I hate when there is a disconnect between departments in stores. It just makes the whole customer experience a complete disaster and its really bad for long term business. I’m glad you brought this point up, because its really important in regards to management efforts.
My wife ordered an expensive wool carpet from Crate & Barrel. She was told (with her sister as witness) that the item was out of stock and would not be available until mid to late January/10.
On December 15th an unmarked van pulled into our driveway, the driver demanding we take possession of a carpet from Crate & Barrel. He identified himself as working for the Crate & Barrel Yorkdale (Toronto) store. We refused delivery as we had purchased a substitute carpet not wanting to wait until mid-January for C & B to deliver theirs.
Phoning the store to enquire why they attempted to deliver the carpet 3-4 weeks early and without the courtesy of pre-delivery notification (like what if no one was here—common sense thing), we were told that it is not Crate & Barrel’s policy to call.
Upon learning that the carpet had been charged to our credit card, we asked for the charges to be reversed from our credit card, they refused saying they would only do so once the store had received the carpet from ‘their’ delivery service in pristine condition—claiming it was Crate & Barrel’s corporate policy.
Explaining the obvious stupidity of C & B policy (we were never in possession of the capet and it was a C & B delivery service) was met with agreement and yet a steadfast refusal to modify his refund decsion.
We were also told that in the event no one was at a delivery address to receive the item, the wool carpet would have been left on the front door step (in the snow)—despite the fact that they informed us they would not have the item in stock until mid-January.
To date we have only received a “Someone will be in contact with you shortly” response from C & B’s head office.
Crate & Barrel—it’s amazing how they stay in business.