In retail, the most successful businesses solve real problems.

Heel to Toe, a comfort-focused shoe store in Urbana, Illinois, is the definition of solution-based retail. They address complex needs for customers facing medical challenges, mobility limitations, and pain that standard retail shoe stores can’t fix.

Certified pedorthist and buyer, Meg Giles tells her story of how she uses specialized knowledge to fit shoes, create orthotics, and guide people toward long-term relief. 

Let’s explore seven principles she lives by and how other retailers can adopt them to create retail solutions for customers.

1. Go Beyond the Shelf

Heel to Toe offers services that most stores would never consider. They build up shoes to compensate for leg length differences, modify orthotics, and adjust footwear to accommodate post-surgery recovery or trauma. This level of customization positions their retail team almost like pharmacists for the feet: offering tailored retail solutions rather than one-size-fits-all products.

Retailers can adopt this approach by asking the deeper question: What real problems do our products solve? When every product has a purpose that extends outside of its category label, your store becomes a place that sells things into a place that serves people. This mindset shift builds lasting customer value through expertise and quality service.

2. Understand People First

At Heel to Toe, customers always have a story to tell. Many are living with rare conditions or complex needs that have been overlooked or even dismissed elsewhere. The staff takes their time to listen to their stories, so that they can understand the person behind the purchase. 

“What I enjoy the most are the people. I really like to make them feel that they are going to get help here and be understood here, and that we will speak a common language with them. I don’t want people to come in and feel like they’re the rarest bird off the perch. I want ’em to feel like they’re seen and understood. That’s a big deal,” Meg explains.

In this way, every recommendation is based on both expertise and compassion. As a result, customers leave with solutions and with the feeling that they’ve truly been heard.

You can encourage this same level of trust by training staff on important customer service skills like reading the room, adapting to each customer’s unique situation, and leading with kindness. When people feel seen and leave with a solution that improves their lives, they’re far more likely to invest in your brand.

3. Solve Specific Problems

Employees at Heel to Toe never guess. When someone walks in with swelling, high arches, or pressure pain, the team responds with precision, offering targeted products and making real adjustments that address the foundational issue. They know how to offload pressure, match orthotics to specific insteps, and provide retail solutions designed for conditions that demand medical-grade comfort. Every recommendation is purposeful, and every fit is intentional.

In your own store, train your employees to connect products to specific use cases. 

This means:

• Listening closely to how customers describe their challenges
• Matching products to  specific needs instead of defaulting to generic options
• Equipping staff with the knowledge to offer solutions that improve comfort, performance, or usability

When your team can confidently connect the right product to the right problem, customers see your business as a trusted resource. The moment you move away from a basic approach and start solving problems with precision, you’ll start genuinely helping.

4. Build Relationships

Meg understands that suggesting a new shoe size is personal. At Heel to Toe, she approaches these conversations with sensitivity, knowing that footwear is tied to identity, style, and comfort. She takes time to explain the “why” behind the recommendation, making it clear that she’s focused on customer care and their overall well-being. 

If your store needs to guide customers toward choices that affect their personal preferences, do it with clarity and empathy. Educate them on the benefits, walk them through the reasoning, and make it obvious you’re solving a problem. When you do this, you’ll turn customer hesitation into appreciation.

5. Train With Purpose

At Heel to Toe, every new hire spends their first two weeks fully immersed in learning the business. Training covers foot anatomy, product specifications, orthotics, and the art of customer care. This depth of preparation means team members can speak with confidence, problem-solve on the spot, and deliver service that feels both skilled and personal.

If you’re ready to deliver real retail solutions, start with better onboarding. Develop a structured training program that focuses on the knowledge your team requires to solve real customer problems effectively. When your staff feels confident in their expertise, customers will feel equally confident in their purchases.

6. Lead With Patience

Some customers arrive at Heel to Toe worn down by frustration. They’ve often visited store after store, yet still haven’t found relief. Here, staff are trained to slow the pace and guide customers without pressure. A calm, reassuring tone changes what could have been another disappointing trip into a moment of trust.

Retailers can gain a competitive edge by teaching the power of patience, especially when selling solution-based products that require understanding and precision. 

Equip your team to:

• Listen before recommending so that product suggestions address the root cause.
• Ask detailed, open-ended questions to uncover the customer’s real challenges and desired outcomes.
• Match products to specific solutions, demonstrating how each item can improve comfort or results.
• Stay composed during frustration so customers leave feeling respected, supported, and hopeful.

Responding to difficult customers with patience and composure leaves a lasting impression that speed alone can’t match.

7. Focus on a Niche

Heel to Toe doesn’t try to be everything to everyone. Instead, they’ve built their reputation around specialty retail solutions that few others offer. This clear focus is so well-known that customers travel for hours just to get the service they can’t find anywhere else.

Independent retailers should adopt a similar approach, focusing on one area of expertise and owning it completely. Identify the corner of the market where you can lead, and invest in becoming the go-to authority for solving specific customer problems. When your focus is on delivering tailored, practical solutions, you position your business as indispensable.

Conclusion

Heel to Toe has built a business model based on retail solutions. Their customers come in with pain and leave with a plan. That is the power of product knowledge, empathy, and a commitment to serve.

If you want to build a store that people trust, look past the product and focus on what your customer truly needs. Create a place where people are heard, supported, and helped. When you do that, you’re not just selling. You’re changing lives.

Want to learn more about other Illinois retail leaders? Read inspiring stories from retailers across Illinois who are making a difference.

If you loved learning about Heel to Toe’s story and know a retailer who deserves recognition, Nominate A Retailer!