Despite what doomsday reports may have you thinking, in-store retail is still very much alive and well. In fact, 71% of customers say they spend $50 or more every time they shop at the store. True, the rise of ecommerce has increased competition, but if you can employ the right strategy, you can ensure your in-store operations thrive in 2020.
The best way to do that is to provide a superior retail customer experience, not just in-store, but throughout all of your channels. Here’s how:
First Impressions
The first impression you give to a customer has a huge impact on the overall retail customer experience. A good first impression can build loyalty right off the bat, but it’s difficult, if not impossible to come back from a bad first impression, with 17% of consumers saying they’ll walk away from a brand after just one bad experience.
Factors that can cause a negative first impression include slow-moving checkout lines, muted touchpoints, and poor service, to name a few. Make sure you aren’t losing customers to these pitfalls. Make sure you train your staff well, and create shift schedules that ensure you have full coverage.
Leverage line-busting technology like a robust point of sale (POS) solution to speed up the checkout. You can also try equipping your sales floor staff with rugged mobile tablet technology so they can answer questions and ring up transactions right from the sales floor. Self-service kiosks can also greatly improve the speed of checkout.
View our free e-book: How a Retail Point of Sale Increases Revenue
Build Loyalty
87% of consumers who are satisfied with the benefits offered by a retailer’s premium loyalty program will choose that retailer over a competitor that is offering a lower price. Premium programs offer customers a sense of exclusivity that they don’t often find with free loyalty programs. Perks and benefits can be offered from day one, and aren’t earned through dollars spent or points accumulated.
That being said, don’t overlook the benefits of free customer loyalty programs, either. You can offer the opportunity to earn rewards to customers who may be unwilling to pay for premium programs, giving them a reason to return and improving the retail customer experience.
The best time to offer these are during in-store visits. Persuasive sales associates can pitch the program better than a website can, and they can encourage customers to sign up.
Offer a Multi/Omnichannel Approach
Consumers are gravitating towards e-commerce, yet many still need to visit physical stores, which is why omnichannel retail is the way to go. Amazon has set the bar pretty high when it comes to customer expectations outside of the brick-and-mortar establishment. To keep up, all channels, whether e-commerce, buy-online/pickup in-store (BOPIS) and in-store retail customer experiences, must align and work together seamlessly and cohesively to deliver the convenience and experience that your customers demand.
E-commerce sites must be secure and easy to navigate to ensure ultimate convenience. Shipping should be fast, and returns should be made easy for purchases from any channel. Make sure to integrate each channel into your POS hub, so you will always have the necessary stock on-hand at all times, for all channels.
The Right Strategy for 2020
As the industry shifts to omnichannel, it’s important for retailers to be smart about navigating these industry changes. An omnichannel approach won’t be as effective if you don’t have the right strategy, or the right technology to use. Make sure you know what your customers want, and that you are able to deliver it.
Touch Dynamic offers the right tools for the job, like rugged mobile tablets, self-order kiosks and more. These solutions are designed by industry experts to help retailers provide the conveniences customers crave, at the speed with which they crave them, so you can offer a better retail customer experience. For more information, contact an expert at Touch Dynamic today!
