The Detailer's Spotlight story by Detail Editor Bud Abraham focuses on how you have to understand today's customer.
Here is a excerpt from the article, which can be found here,
The world of retailing today does have its own peculiarities.
It is a strange world in which the customer's human needs must be meticulously cared for while the business relies increasingly on automation and machinery. Competition is everywhere, yet there are fewer players. It is a world in which the customer buys less but spends more; where quality is king; and cheap, indiscriminate quantity is the stuff of 1950s sitcoms.
Remember this; customers will be the winners. They will get exactly what they want ― in selection, service, and price because there are fewer of them spending money. The detail businesses that can satisfy their special demands will thrive, while the ones who do not will fail.
