Customer Whisperer urges Yorkshire retailers to collaborate to compete on the high street
Independent retailers need to collaborate more and brands need to listen to customers better in order to adapt to the “interesting times” being experienced on the high street, according to Kate Hardcastle, the Customer Whisperer.
Hardcastle, who runs a firm giving advice to retailers and brands worldwide, is from Halifax but bases herself in London. She would like to run her business from Yorkshire again but says at the moment that isn’t possible because of the access she needs to firms and contacts in the capital.
“I would love things to be more Yorkshire-centric. I would love to see more power and more opportunities here than ever before and I will support anyone who is trying to make a difference across this region,” said Hardcastle, who spoke to TheBusinessDesk.com before hosting an event in Leeds raising money for the Leeds Community Foundation and hosted by Clarion.
She feels Yorkshire does have its very good independent retail spaces – Ilkley to name one of them- which offer consumers choice and she urged the independents to collaborate more to help this retail sector thrive. Hardcastle added: “It is like the theory of everybody needing the candlestick makers and butchers shops years ago. The independent retailers need to be talking to each other because they need the same customers to shop with them. It’s about them thinking how they can be a greater force together.”
She also asked that cities and towns in the region, including the councils, promote every single aspect of the shopping experience – not just the newest addition – in order for retail to thrive and support the economy in the way that the high street used to and attract the footfall.
“That said, Yorkshire is in a higher gear than other regions in terms of the offering of events and a sense community, and the networks are good too. Firms here have sourced products from the region and that’s a real asset. But in Yorkshire we can sometimes be cautious about shouting about what we offer,” added Hardcastle.
As the Customer Whisperer, she visits retailers across the globe and has seen first-hand the problems that they also face – which she says is similar to that we have in the UK – an internet shopping revolution.
She added: “Retail looks over its shoulder far too much. They don’t know it, but this is the customer’s rebellion. There is speculation about the high street being a showroom for the internet but firms like Asos are very much going against that by often selling big ticket items online only.
“The major flaw that brands are still making is that they aren’t listening to customers. The brands that are struggling, like M&S, aren’t listening and they aren’t being respectful.
“When I started out, I noticed that firms weren’t talking to people outside of their own businesses about their brand. I put time in looking around shop floors and seeing what customers wanted. Retailers and brands need to do that. These are really interesting times for retail and it’s going to be interesting to see who and how they adapt.”
