AUS advice anyone?

[amoona]

AUS is the death of me

Since it's been reinstated nobody at my counter is making their goal because we're too worried about making AUS. The favorite taglines our managers use are that "AUS is a measure of customer service" and that if you make AUS but not your goal it shows that you've tried. BULL-CACA!

Anyway I need to boost it like amofo because I'm trying to transfer to LA and the only question the counter manager down there asked me was what my AUS was. The moment I told her she kinda cut me off and just gave me the MRO's voice mail extension and said she can help me with finding a location.

What are your tips for boosting your AUS? I do the demos on customers, I offer them items that go with what they're picking up, I show them that damn accessories tower. What are your lines and tips to boost it?!

[lara]

To a point I agree with your managers because AUS is a measure of customer service - like UPT/IPT, it's a strong indicator that you've been focusing on your customer service because it's nearly impossible to get good sales KPIs if you're not putting in any effort. There's the rare exception to the rule, but how often do you get someone drop $600 in 15 units without you giving any assistance? Also people can and do make budget with incredibly low AUS figures, but that then tells you that they're efficient at making lots of small low dollar sales but that they have little customer interaction beyond making token suggestions and pulling product, and that sort of service doesn't give you dedicated return customers who trust you.

• Work on your FAB statements and/or E-layers. That's an immediate AUS booster because you can connect people to more expensive items and get them emotionally tied to the product. You can also link your items together more easily and fan that need/want desire in your customer.
  
• Show most expensive items first, although that isn't such an issue at MAC where there isn't a huge variance in prices for similar items. Maybe focus on sell-through of LE items alongside your basic products so you can use the carrot of exclusive, limited edition products to further add to the sale?
  
• Are you driving your skincare sales? Working skincare into every m/up sale can make your AUS jump really quickly, even if it's just Stobe Cream. Skincare is also a return business product, so if you put in the hard yards now you'll reap the benefits next month.
  
• Do you guys do much purpose-finding activities at work, i.e. finding out the customers needs and wants beyond 'I want a red lipstick'?
  I want a red lipstick > I want a red lipstick to wear on my date tonight > I want a red lipstick to wear on my date tonight because I want to look really vampy and sexy > I want to look vampy and sexy because this is our third date and I'm going to get laid tonight*.
  Using your opened ended, who/what/when/where/how questions to pull out more information can give you the best tools for suggesting relevant products, plus it lets you build really good rapport and trust.
  
• Soft closes. Love them. Keep soft closing until the customer is whipped into a frenzy of make-up lust, and tie your soft closes into product links.

Wind it back, try to ignore the pressure to hit all your KPIs (impossible sometimes, I know) and go back to focusing on your salescraft. If you're warm, knowledgeable, ask all the right questions and are confident in your products and suggestions, your AUS and UPT/IPT will tick up and you'll score more repeat business. Customers smell desperation, remember.




* This was a real purpose that I've found from a customer I linked the red lipstick to lipliner (the obvious link) and then to individual lashes to frame her eyes and a soft grey liner to tightliner her upper lashes, make-up wipes so she can discreetly remove her make-up so she wouldn't look like a scary panda in the morning, and an illuminating cream like Strobe so she'd look radiant and glowing when she left his house in the morning

[baybehbekah]

that post was great lara! thank you

[amoona]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lara

To a point I agree with your managers because AUS is a measure of customer service - like UPT/IPT, it's a strong indicator that you've been focusing on your customer service because it's nearly impossible to get good sales KPIs if you're not putting in any effort. There's the rare exception to the rule, but how often do you get someone drop $600 in 15 units without you giving any assistance?

Totally agree with that but I think a major struggle for my whole counter is that while we are sitting down all our customers (super slow thanks to this lame economy) they tend to pick out one thing and have us write everything down. Since most of our customers are regulars they will literally come in everyday (no joke) and pick up things as they go. Or my favorite is when they pick up like $30 worth of stuff and I ring it up and then they decide that they also want $25 wipes while they're walking away.

I'll def. take everything you said into mind and share them with everyone. Thanks love!

[RetroPinup]

I would focus on selling the brushes. This will really amp up your AUS and then of course sell brush cleanser with it. So an eyeshadow $14.50, and an eye brush $29 and brush cleanser $11 is $54.50. Good Luck

[RetroPinup]

Oh and don't stop showing product until they tell you to stop.

[ms.marymac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amoona

Totally agree with that but I think a major struggle for my whole counter is that while we are sitting down all our customers (super slow thanks to this lame economy) they tend to pick out one thing and have us write everything down. Since most of our customers are regulars they will literally come in everyday (no joke) and pick up things as they go. Or my favorite is when they pick up like $30 worth of stuff and I ring it up and then they decide that they also want $25 wipes while they're walking away.

I'll def. take everything you said into mind and share them with everyone. Thanks love!

Or the sharpener. The only thing I don't like about AUS is that it can cause bad internal/external customer service at times. And I know you all know what I mean, too. lol Someone walks up to the lipstick stand and it's like someone cut the lights on a pack of roaches. I feel you, Amoona...I work so hard to get mine up and then 10 people come in wanting mascara and they are in a hurry or I don't have enough time to sit them down because we are too busy and shorthanded.

Great tips, though Lara...I will give those a whirl. I know those tips but I always forget...lol

Oh, and the best tip I ever got from a trainer: "Don't go and count people's money for them."

[amoona]

eh today i was doing so good - I was at like $54 and then of course the last hour i started getting the one item customers who did not want to hear it from me.

i feel like because our counter is so busy most of the time that customers come in knowing the one or two things they already need. how do you get that customer who only wants a lipgloss to sit down and try other things besides the typical - lets try a lipstick or a lipliner to go with this?

[lara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amoona

Totally agree with that but I think a major struggle for my whole counter is that while we are sitting down all our customers (super slow thanks to this lame economy) they tend to pick out one thing and have us write everything down. Since most of our customers are regulars they will literally come in everyday (no joke) and pick up things as they go. Or my favorite is when they pick up like $30 worth of stuff and I ring it up and then they decide that they also want $25 wipes while they're walking away.

Oh, trust me, I totally understand that. As a counter our budget % overs and KPIs have hit the tiles in the last month and a half, and I'm tracking at 2/2.15 on average when normally I comfortably maintain 2.75/3. A good manager and a good AM/RM should be aware that there are some major sales challenges, but that's not the be all and end all, you know?

Sometimes the best thing is to do is get your brain into positive mode and start from the bottom all over again. Self actualising and positive perception and all that junk. As long as you're not too self-conscious about it, it can work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms.marymac

The only thing I don't like about AUS is that it can cause bad internal/external customer service at times. And I know you all know what I mean, too. lol Someone walks up to the lipstick stand and it's like someone cut the lights on a pack of roaches.

If an AUS/IPT focus is leading to bad service/bad teamwork (everyone bailing from the register area when someone walks up with an eyeliner tester in hand, to use a classic example) rather than developing a drive to create better sales, then something is seriously going wrong somewhere. KPI targets should be just a goal to strive towards, not a sword of Damocles. :/

[Ruby_Woo]

I just wanted to share a technique that has been working for me, and I know we should all be doing it anyway, but its easy to forget. Show and teach. I try to sit as many people down, hand them the mirror, show them how I do it, and have them do it themselves. I was able to boost my AUS by $12 in a month last month by doing this.

I feel it helps build more of a relationship and trust with our customer, rather then just like suggesting stuff for the sake of it. And before I ring them up I also ask "and you're good on your moisturizer, mascara and makeup remover right?" Some people easily forget the small stuff, and I've been able to add a pack of wipes, or a mascara to a sale which helps AUS/IPT.

Hope this helps my fellow artists outthere.

Oh! And also, don't be quick to walk away from a b2m. Usually they will need to replace some of the stuff they are recycling.

[BEA2LS]

as a customer i can honestly say that if i come in to buy one thing than there is not really much that can sway me. i am on a tight budget and sometimes can only afford to replace my eyeshadow or lipstick that ran out.
i do not think AUS is fair but in the past, when the economy was better i have bought add ons suggested by the MA (which, by the way i ended up loving!)

[Ruby_Woo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BEA2LS

as a customer i can honestly say that if i come in to buy one thing than there is not really much that can sway me. i am on a tight budget and sometimes can only afford to replace my eyeshadow or lipstick that ran out.
i do not think AUS is fair but in the past, when the economy was better i have bought add ons suggested by the MA (which, by the way i ended up loving!)

Yeah, its not meant to work on every single person. I totally understand when someone only wants one thing, and one thing only. That is totally fine, you know? Its just meant to increase our customer service and for me it works most of the time. There have been customers in for one item, but end up with more, because they can get more, and liked the service. Even if my customer doesn't want anything else, I still like to give them the best service and show them a few things. You never know, I've had people come back on other days and come back to get the rest of their stuff. It also exposes people to different products.

[BEA2LS]

^^ thanks, i agree - you sound like you're great at your job!! I just wish i had more money to shop with, lol.
i do not think AUS is fair, though.. not in this economy