Man In The Desert Selling

This is our selling philosophy and we use it to illustrate how we astonish our customers by exceeding their expectations.

Imagine a man lost in the desert. He’s been wandering for weeks. He stumbles across an oasis, where he’s offered a glass of water, because surely he must be thirsty. But if you stop to think about what he’s experienced and what his needs really are, you know that he needs more than just water. He needs food, a comfortable place to sleep, a phone to call his wife and family, maybe a pair of shoes and a hat to screen the sun’s rays.

When a customer comes to our store looking for shoe storage, for example, we equate her to a “Man in a Desert,” in desperate need of a complete solution. We start asking questions about what her needs are. “How many shoes do you have?” “If shoes are a big problem for you, how does the rest of the closet function?” By anticipating her needs, we know that she needs an organization plan — a complete solution — for her entire closet.

Most retailers are pleased with helping her find a shoe rack — that glass of water — but not at The Container Store. We don’t just stop with the obvious. Providing our customers with a complete solution through our Man in the Desert selling philosophy has been key to achieving one of our main goals of having our customers dancing in their organized closet, pantry, home office, etc., because they are so delighted and thrilled with the complete solution we provided them.

Our Foundation Principles™ overview.

Learn more about our Foundation Principles:
1 Great Person = 3 Good People
Communication IS Leadership
Fill the other guy’s basket to the brim. Making money then becomes an easy proposition.
The Best SELECTION, SERVICE & PRICE
Intuition does not come to an unprepared mind. You need to train before it happens.
Man In The Desert Selling
Air of Excitement

26 responses to “Man In The Desert Selling”

  1. Carol Pinkston says:
    Your team at the Arlington Highland Store in Arlington, TX did a great job of helping us today.
  2. the way of creating great customer service is having a great rapport with the customer.the more questions the customer responds ...
  3. Jessica Matteson says:
    I like the principle, but not the name. When I first saw it, it made me think that the ...
  4. Erin Peterson says:
    This principle really made me stop and think. I like the concept of realizing customer's needs through active listening and ...
  5. Shannon McMaken says:
    I love this principle and the main goal of having the customers dancing because they were so delighted and thrilled ...
  6. So when I initially saw the "Man in the Desert Selling" foundation principle I couldn't think of what it could ...
  7. This is a great way to label a very common sales principle. This makes it not only easy to ...
  8. I find that this is also helpful in real life situations when dealing with friends or families problems. I ...
  9. This is a great approach!
  10. Jeanne Stark says:
    Indeed, when I enter The Container Store, it's as if I've wandered into a desert oasis with everything the heart ...
  11. I love this article and even though I don't work at The Container Store, but a national department store, I'm ...
  12. Rita Tandaric says:
    I believe that it is this philosophy that sets The Container Store apart. I can't tell you how many times ...
  13. Jennifer Hofmann says:
    Simply a wonderful store on many levels and that is why I keep coming back year after year. Thank ...
  14. This is a great principle. I'll have to remember it when we're training our staff.
  15. I have experienced this so many times in dealing with the Container Store and really appreciate the interest employees show ...
  16. Christina Mott says:
    Congratulations on your 34th anniversary! It is nice to shop from a store with common sense. It is ...
  17. I love this aspect about the Container Store's customer service, it really shows in the way their employees approach an ...
  18. Cheryl Towne says:
    Delving deeper into the "shoe solution" helps so greatly - and can solve more problems with one or two solutions, ...
  19. Morgyne LeCount says:
    I recently checked out the travel sale. I'm going on an exciting trip this Fall and wanted to see ...
  20. Ken Thueson says:
    My wife is crazy over The Container Store. In other stores, I find a comfortable chair and read or ...
  21. this has to be done carefully... i typically have already thought out the exact plan, know exactly what i need, ...
  22. LOL! I say your salespeople are "evil" because they usually show me three different ways I can use whatever ...
  23. I wish more companies, including the public school system and the government took on your philosopies!
  24. Marisa Simon says:
    I love this one! I work in the fitness industry and when a client says her goal is to ...
  25. April McCreight says:
    Wow, I thought that when I bought a closet system a few years ago from The Container Store that it ...
  26. Agreed, it is not enough to be known as a person or company that excells, but the real objective is ...

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  • Welcome
  • Welcome

    Hello! Since our doors opened in 1978, we’ve been a company full of heart and soul with what I like to call our “yummy” culture. We put our employees first and strive for excellence in everything we do. We want to be special, different, and to offer a retail experience unlike any other. Our blog is a place to celebrate our employees, our culture, our customers, our vendors and our commitment to our communities. So thank you for visiting, for sharing your thoughts and for being an even bigger part of what we stand for – organization with heart!

    Kip Tindell, Chairman and CEO

  • Our Story
  • Our Story

    On July 1, 1978, The Container Store opened its doors in a 1,600 square foot retail space in Dallas. The first store was filled with products that consumers couldn't find in any other retail environment. They were things like commercial parts bins, mailboxes, popcorn tins, burger baskets, milk crates and wire leaf burners. The product collection was quite unusual, but when used in a home or office, the solutions saved customers space and, ultimately, time.

  • Putting Our Employees First
  • Putting Our Employees First

    At The Container Store, we firmly believe our employee is our #1 stakeholder. In doing so, employees take better care of customers and ultimately the shareholders benefit. It's a departure from what most other companies practice, yet it's been at the heart of our success since 1978. It's because of this employee-first culture that FORTUNE magazine has recognized us on its annual list of "100 Best Companies to Work For" for the past 12 years.

  • Our Foundation Principles
  • Our Foundation Principles

    Not only was The Container Store built on great products, but it was structured around some fundamental values and philosophies about treating employees, customers and vendors with respect and dignity - we call them our Foundation Principles™. By understanding these principles, we can all act as a unit, working toward the same goal. Retail is far, far too situational to attempt to achieve a concerted effort through inflexible rules and policies.

  • Committed to Our Community
  • Committed to Our Communities

    Since we opened our first store in 1978, we have proudly supported our stores' local communities. From product donations to employee volunteer time, we know the importance of being a good corporate neighbor. Today, The Container Store continues to give back to the community with a focus on supporting nonprofits that promote women's and children's well-being and health.

  • Our Vendor Partnerships
  • Our Vendor Partnerships

    These partnerships are key to our commitment to providing our customers the most innovative, high quality, differentiated products in the industry coupled with the utmost in customer service. And they have been especially important as we navigate this challenging economic time.

  • Our Commitment to the Environment
  • Our Commitment to the Environment

    We believe that there is no conflict between economic prosperity and environmental stewardship and, in fact, that the two are mutually dependent upon each other. Like many other companies, we embrace sustainability as a key to our economic future and feel businesses that do this will have a better relationship with all of their stakeholders and ultimately, be able to offer the best quality products at the lowest possible prices.

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