The possibility to improve customer experience in a retail store has a direct effect on the success or failure of an establishment.
“Horses for courses”. This saying is very close to real life. We offer an endless amount of products with the hope that they are suitable for the customers coming into our store. However, we frequently see our customers going past that department on which we had pinned our hopes. What is the reason for this? Just a lack of information.
Our tips to improve customer experience in retail business are based on the use of technology and on two key questions:
- Which product or department is the most appealing one?
- What is the deciding factor when a customer buys more or less products, or nothing at all?
Technology and a small investment on R+D will enormously help us to collect enough information to answer both questions. Not only will we improve our way to manage our customers’ specific needs, but also we will perfect our capacities (achieving more objectives with lesser effort).
How should we use R+D technology to improve customer experience in retail business?
A successful commercialisation in a retail store should be based on the optimisation of the customers’ experience using technology and R+D. A customer appreciates his experience by rating how satisfied he is with these three points:
- Finding what we are looking for
Human being is lazy by nature. If we do not get quicky what we are searching for, we often decide to give it up.
At Customers Feeling, we have seen customers giving up the purchase of a lot of products for the only reason that they have not found a very specific thing they were looking for.
To know exactly which your customers’ movement patterns are is essential to optimise your retail store. It will help you, among other things, to identify the less appealing departments, the need of appearance improvement of a certain section, if your stock is too much or too little, or even if there are any bottlenecks. This way you will be prepared to offer a much better customer service, and a subsequent increase of their satisfaction, and what is more, you will be making a correct use of your ressources.
- Quick and easy payment
How many times have we seen that a person gets into a shop and immediately leaves it, because of the excessive number of people queuing to pay at the till?
To make your staff work faster is not an easy task. What is the average time that your customers spend inside the store? At which moment will they go to the till for the payment? What are their common reactions and movements?
Ignoring these factors may entail the that your customers do not get into your store and even that they give the purchase up when they are about to pay.
Use specific tools to obtain this type of information, and therefore involve your staff, and be able to foresee possible risky situations.
- A friendly customer service
A friendly customer service is not just a smile after the payment. A friendly customer service means helping, assisting, and recommending products to our customers.
In order to get that your staff are friendly to your customers, you must be friendly to your staff. How can you do it? Just be efficient when you plan the tasks.
If your staff are “fed up”, they won’t be willing to attend your customers properly, their satisfaction will be reduced and subsequently, your sales as well.
Analysing the reactions produced after your customers and your staff interact will enable you to design better marketing, sales and advice strategies.
Would you like to improve your customers’ shopping experience, increase your sales and optimise the work flow of your store? Do not hesitate to contact us.