The stakes are high for brick and mortar retailers to create an in-store customer experience that can compete with the appeal of online shopping from the comfort of home. The key to excelling is to create high-tech customer experiences that provide in-store shoppers with the benefits of online shopping. There are several creative ways to integrate technology into the in-store shopping experience, but one of the most cost-effective and versatile solutions is tablet point of sale (POS).
Here are four simple ways that tablet POS can transform the customer experience:
1. Better Equipped Associates
Some of your greatest assets are your store personnel. Combining their knowledge and customer service prowess with the power of seamlessly connected tablet POS can greatly enhance customer experiences. Tablet POS enables them to provide instant access to inventory and product information and to complete transactions on the spot, meeting shoppers’ expectations for convenience.
Tablets can also help manage and train staff. It’s easy to administer time and attendance if each staff member has a tablet. Tablets put training information right in the hands of the people who need them. Downtime in the store? Flip on a training module to help new employees learn the system. If a customer comes in, you can quickly switch back into sales mode, where you can access information on inventory, check on loyalty rewards, and complete sales transactions.
2. Display Technology
Tablets can be customer facing — offering a new way to visually advertise products in a digital format. Interactive or instructional videos blend the appeal of online and in-store shopping. Games and polls can create a fun environment that engages buyers, encouraging them to spend more time in store and improving foot traffic.
Augmented reality and social media can also be integrated with in-store systems. Dressing rooms can quickly become photo booths with the option for shoppers to share their finds on social media. Some stores are going so far as to implement tablet-equipped dressing rooms where shoppers can adjust the lighting and music for a totally customized customer experience.
Download our e-book to discover how to implement a tablet POS solution to complement your traditional POS.
3. Self- Service Touchpoints
Tablets can essentially bring your website in-store. You can truly enhance the customer experience by allowing shoppers to browse online while at your physical location. With these “endless aisle” solutions, customers can see products or variations of products that you might not be able to display on-site. They can browse your entire inventory with a few taps on the touchscreen — and place orders to be delivered directly to their homes. Self-service kiosks also allow customers to manage their enrollment in loyalty programs, and to browse virtual catalogs that can better depict and inspire product use.
4. Line Busting
Waiting in long lines can be a major detriment to the in-store customer experience. Research from the Omnico Group shows that Americans will abandon a checkout line after eight minutes of waiting in line. You can be ready to create additional registers on the fly by enabling staff to checkout customers with a tablet. Tablet POS can also be used as self-checkout kiosks, speeding up the process.
The bottom line is that physical stores aren’t going anywhere, but they need to adapt with the changing times, offering tech solutions that blend the online experience customers crave with the traditional brick-and-mortar establishment. Tablets are an easy way to implement these changes and create the ultimate customer experience.
