18 • Footwear Insight ~ June 2020 footwearinsight.com
NAVIGATING THE NEW NORMAL
C
ustomer service used to mean a thorough fit process,
thoughtful product recommendations and personal
attention. We should know: Footwear Insight has been
recognizing shops that excel with the Gold Medal Service
Award since 2015. But in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic
and the shutdowns that resulted, the footwear independents who
set the standard for treating customers right have had to grapple
with an entirely new world: Service with a smile looks a lot different
when you're smiling behind a mask.
But even amidst uncertainty, the country's best shops have been
moving forward with innovative business models that let them
stay in touch with the customers and kept business going, even
under unprecedented challenges. We asked some top-scoring, Gold
Medal Service Award winning shops how the crisis will change
their business. Here, we break down the lessons they'll be carrying
forward into the new normal.
Private booths are the
latest safety measures at
Austin's Karavel Shoes.
BY JENNIFER ERNST BEAUDRY
PAST GOLD MEDAL SERVICE AWARD WINNERS ON THE PANDEMIC AND SHUTDOWN'S LASTING EFFECTS
