Whenever a new Shopping Centre opens, I am always filled with a huge sense of excitement! I like to think I am a bit of a connoisseur of Retail Malls, having visited the majority of key outlets in the Country, including Bluewater, Thurrock, Meadowhall, Manchester Trafford & Arndale, not to mention major city centres such as The West End, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Southampton and Brighton, to name just a few.
Often, however, when I have visited the Centre in question, I can be very disappointed – thrillingly, that was not the case with the new White City development in West London!
From the clear and easy road signage pointing us in the right direction, to the sophisticated car park (which marks free parking bays with a lit green arrow), even the journey there and initial impression was a delight!
The design is impressive and the high ceilings of both the entire centre and the retail outlets within made for an exceptionally awe inspiring view.
Both design and ease of journey apart – the reason you go to Westfield is to shop! So did our retail experience match up? I am so pleased to be able to tell you – the answer was an unqualified YES!
Although the Centre had been open for some time and the visit was on a busy Saturday, every single retailer we visited really did enhance our shopping trip.
I can rarely remember when I have had the pleasure of being acknowledged and said ‘hello’ to in every single store I went in to. Whether it was fashion, electrical or even the food outlets, everywhere we went, we had a sense that staff and management really were wanting, and more importantly, were prepared to work, for our custom. Staff were happy to answer questions and queries and more importantly, knew their product! We were even offered some free samples in one of the Malls 3 Department stores, with none of the ‘snootiness’ that can sometimes be felt in those environments.
This should be the norm and it is almost sad that I am writing about such basic Customer Service as if I had discovered something special. So often, however, the retail stores in a centre can really make the difference on whether or not the consumer will make a return visit. These were all retailers that you find in every High Street across the Country - but Westfield seemed to have sprinkled a little magic across them all...
The visit to ‘The Village’, the designer part of Westfield was really something memorable. From sipping a glass of bubbly at the ‘The Champagne Bar’ as we listened to the pianist and browsing such brands as Gucci, Tiffany & Co and Prada, you really did feel that you were in the lap of luxury!
But it was the main part of the Shopping Centre that really over delivered around service, product and overall store visuals.
So, what can other Centres learn from Westfield? Well, it is a great example of when design and a serious commitment to delighting the customer in every single way, really do come together. I suppose the only question it leaves me posing – Is why can’t every Centre deliver this?
So arms full of shopping bags and full from a delicious lunch at ‘The Spaghetti House’ and a late bite at ‘Crepeaffaire’ we staggered back to the car, exhausted but happy! Will we be going back – just try and stop us!
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