There's no denying that retail footfall has taken a hit in recent years. However, current forecasts indicate a 4-6% rise in retail sales for 2023. To make the most of all of the retail opportunities available to you, you must ensure you are giving all customers the best experience possible. This will ensure that they want to return time and time again.
Customer service is not something, and whether or not the old adage of " the customer is always right" is actually true, in the world of retail, you need to act like it is for maximum impact.
So without further ado, let's look at some ways you can enhance the customer experience in-store.
Clear and Clutter Free
Firstly you want to ensure your store is easy to navigate and people can find their way around to get what they want. Pay attention to the merchandise layout, any bulky floor stacks or demonstrations you have going on, and the free space for people to move around. You want to make things as easy as possible, and while filling every inch of floor space with stock can be tempting if customers find navigating your store difficult, they won't return regardless of what offers you have going on. So make use of your stock room and rent an additional 10x10 storage unit if needed, but don’t leave too much stuff out!
Good Lighting
Lighting can often be an overlooked aspect of the retail experience, but you know, as a customer yourself, if the store has inadequate lighting, you will instantly be a little bit put off. Ensure you are using optimal lighting for your space. If you have low ceilings or are going for a minimalist look, choose drop ceiling led lighting; if you are featuring special items or have jewelry cabinets, ensure these are bright and well-lit to ensure people can see exactly what you want them to see. Well-placed strategic lighting needs to be part of your sales plan.
Training
People have a tendency to holler about bad service before giving a shout-out to those providing excellent service. The last thing you want is for your team to be put on blast on social media for something they didn't do or failed to get right when it comes to the customer experience. If you want to avoid complaints, you need to be ensuring you are training your employees in all aspects of their job role, of the company, inventory and have excellent customer service skills.
Stay away from the "I don't know '' and focus on the "let me help you with that" to avoid negative experiences and pay attention to how you can improve the shopping experience and ensure your whole team is on board all the time.
Offer Discounts
The economy is tough right now for all types of retail outlets, and while things are picking up, it can still be hard to generate the sales you need. As an added incentive, why not offer special deals on purchases, discounts off follow-up visits, or give away freebies with spends over a specific value? Use offers as a lead generation if you offer omnichannel services and delivery pick-up options. You can use this to personalize the customer experience and offer them applicable marketing and discounts based on their shopping habits.
Conclusion
Increasing retail sales needs a proactive approach, and you need to do everything you can to ensure that the customer is taken care of when in-store and is happy every step of the way. And while you can't make everyone happy all the time, you can improve how you interact with customers and the in-store experience or aim to please as many customers as possible.
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