What's an Insperience?

Whirpool is trying to turn dishwashers and refridgerators into something more. With the Insperience Studio, the company intends to create a sales experience where people happily walk through a 90 minute sales presentation in exchange for being able to try the appliances. People can do their laundry, make dinner, anything they want in these kitchen showcases.

The idea sounds a little odd, but they're doing what they should - they're trying something and testing it. They've developed a series of metrics, including foot traffic, market share, number of builders as new customers, as well as "sales figures at retailers whose salespeople are trained at Insperience." If it backfires, odds are they'll at least know why. And if it sticks, they'll have a prototype that can be rolled out all over the country.

At the very least, they're trying. Sure beats throwing another Flag Day sale.