Wake-Up Call

Do you fret over job security? Despite an improving U.S. economy and rising sales, an undercurrent of anxiety pervades retail and, by extension, store design. It seems every few weeks I hear of another accomplished professional who has either lost his job or “voluntarily” transitioned to a new career. This disturbing trend begs the question: Are we looking at a temporary correction or witnessing the permanent decline of a proud and storied profession?

I spoke with Dan Butler, president, Maple Point Consulting and senior advisor, NRF, about this sensitive issue. Butler is a retail veteran with more than 30 years experience in retail management, operations and merchandising. His IRDC keynote session  “Creating Support for Store Design in the C-Suite” focuses on understanding the scope of issues top-level executives face and how you can impact the conversation on design to advance your career, your company and the store design industry.

Butler observes a major disconnect between in-house and contract retail designers and the c-suite. He says executives have been consumed lately with other critical issues, like customer data breaches and mobile technologies. “It’s an area outside their skill set and it’s pulling their focus away even more from the conversation on store design,” Butler says. “Promoting the importance of design has never been greater.”

So how do designers grab the busy executive’s attention? “Advocate differently,” Butler says. Seek out other executives in the organization who show an interest in design, and “deputize them as advocates for your cause.” That executive might be in marketing or technology or even finance. (You can bet your design dollars are being scrutinized like never before, too.) Once you gain her attention, invite her to industry events that focus on design or share information informally to remind her of the importance of store design. That might take the form of simple marketing materials, for example. “Take a lead from the Internet and make them brief and direct and use lots of photos and illustrations,” Butler says. “People are time-starved. They’re looking for edited content. ‘What are the hot trends? What will improve my stores? What will help my sales?’”

In the face of tough challenges facing our industry, Butler remains its passionate champion. “We still have an important role and purpose in retail,” he insists. “I love store design. Store design matters.”

To learn more about Butler’s keynote address at IRDC, go to irdconline.com.