Brainstorms

Why Something That Makes No Sense Could Improve Your Business

Random jolts to the routine can lead to breakthroughs.

Published

4 years ago

October 10, 2021

INSTORE Staff Instore October 2021 Issue

When old solutions are closed off, we will find a new one. And sometimes — as the pandemic showed with certain delivery services — the new approaches would have been better all along. This is well understood by computer engineers. Algorithms created to solve problems like designing computer chips will often deploy random shocks to what would otherwise be a search for incremental improvements. Without the randomness, the algorithm gets stuck. How to implement such an approach with your store management? Try doing the complete opposite to normal procedure for a fixed period, say 48 hours. For, example, what if you don’t open next Tuesday? What if you tell people a repair will take no more than two days? If you set aside your mobile phone for 24 hours? The idea is to do something shocking to the system.

Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success

After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone. Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently. The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.