We’re now in the second half of 2020, and my goodness what a year it has been so far. Does anyone else feel like that we’re starring in an action-packed movie alongside Bruce Willis where we have to fight off a locust plague, bushfires, killer virus named after a beer that shuts down the world for 3 plus months, riots, finishing it off with a cliff-hanger (spoiler: humans win) of a meteor flying into Western Australia and no one really knows where it’s come from (Jupiter, is that you?)? Yes, anyone? Just me?
In all seriousness though, 2020 has been one of the most challenging years that humanity has had to face. The effects of Corona virus on industries such as the retail industry has seen some disappointing but discernible results. However, some major global luxury brands have noted that they are only down 25% on sales compared to the predecessor so far this year, which is not as bad as what was originally predicted.
During the lockdown shoppers became fairly acquainted with the quick and fast snap-me-up service with that oh so familiar and sweet “add me to cart” click of a button that you’d find on retail websites. As consumers return to in-store shopping, we can only now assume they will be looking not only to make fast decisions and receive efficient customer service due to the new social distancing laws, but also that friendly real human interaction that we have all been deprived of for so long (no, TikTok does not count as human interaction).
What does this mean now for retail stores moving on post-Covid-19 and what positive steps can brands take to evolve in this new world?
Although we are living in a very technological society, people still crave the old school human interaction, especially now that lockdown restrictions are finally easing. People have a desire for that human interaction more than ever, and what better time for brands to entertain this and deliver their best customer experience ever. Because, let’s face it, there isn’t anything quite like going into the store and experiencing all the sweet, fresh smells and pretty merchandise you just cannot get online.
Let’s take a look at what customer experience looks like…
According to a source customer experience (aka ‘CX’) is your customers’ holistic perception of their experience with your business or brand. That is, every interaction a customer has with your business, everything you do impacts a customers’ perception, as well as their decision to keep coming back – or not. In other words, this is the key to success.
With this in mind, here are 5 ways we can provide a quality in-store customer experience to wow our customers:
- Listening to your customers is #1 priority
This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times I’ve walked into a store where I’ve asked for an apple and they’ve offered me a pear…
We need to understand who our customers are as much as possible in the short space of time we have with them. And the only way to do this is to listen intently and listen well. Ask light questions about them (but not to interrogate), like what their favourite colour is, how you can help them, what would they like to know… get to know them.
However, if you can see that the customer isn’t down for a chat, that’s okay too. Give them the space and time they need. We also need to understand personal space and sometimes not everyone is feeling as chatty as your beautiful friendly self. It’s important that they know that we are there for them, and we will give them the best damn customer experience (when they’re ready, of course).
- Use empathy
Sometimes things don’t always go to plan, and that can put a bit of a sour taste in our mouths. And sometimes when this happens, people like to shop to find something that will get that sour taste out of their mouth. Something like a Zimmerman dress or some tea from T2… One thing that we should try to understand is that we will never really know what is going on in someone’s mind. All we can do is show that we care and will be there every step of the way to deliver a personalised shopping experience.
- Be transparent
No matter what industry you work in, it is so important to always be yourself. Gone are the old-school car-sale days where salesmen will just pitch anything to you to land the sale. Things like, “there are soooo many people interested in this… Buy it?” Or, “The CEO wears this to dinner”. NO, this is not okay. Today customers look for genuine, authentic humans whom they feel like they can connect with, maybe even maybe your friend with. Customers want to feel like they can trust the opinions of the experts in the field, and not be rorted to buy something that has been worn several times when they were told “it’s a fresh one”. Be honest, be open – it’s just nice, ya know? And plus, everyone can see through the BS anyway!
- Presentation is everything
This goes for how you do your hair, your makeup, hygiene, how you smell, how you interact with a customer, down to your body language. To how you greet someone for the first time. It’s true, people always judge a book by its cover. Presentation can also be extended from the staff within the store, to the store itself. As managers, we need to ask questions such as: What music are you playing – and how loud (or quiet) is it? What scent does your store have? How easy is it for customers to walk through your store and find items and retain Social Distance with others?
- Go the extra mile
The desire for retail experiences is on the rise, with millennials saying 52% of their spending goes on experience-related purchases.
So it’s clear, more and more shoppers are opting for experience related purchases – retailtainment anyone? What this means is brands may now look to partner with their favourite local baristas, artists, musicians, authors, cocktail makers… Basically provide a more interactive and fun experience for their customers. Providing an experience that each individual customer won’t be able to forget is the name of the game. Give them a reason to come back, making every step a breeze and an overall good time. Now is the time to become innovative for our customers.
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