There’s no denying it’s been a tough time for retailers lately. The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact, with total sales volumes down by 1.9% on 2019 – the largest annual fall on record. The clothing sector has been hit particularly hard, with sales down 21.5%.
With restrictions beginning to ease in the UK, retailers can once again open their doors and welcome customers back to their stores to drive some much-needed revenue. And after long periods of enforced closure and lost income, it’s now more important than ever that you do everything you can to enhance your Customer Experience. Here are a few tips to help you do that.
Make a good first impression
As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression, so make yours count. The majority of customers appreciate the personal touch when out shopping, so take the time to make conversation and let them know you’re there to help if they need anything. It’s a fine line – you need to be careful not to jump on them as soon as they enter your store, but a friendly and welcoming face can go a long way.
Keep your staff happy
You want to keep your customers happy, and a great way to do that is to employ people who outwardly enjoy their roles. If a consumer sees a smiling sales assistant, it will suggest to them that yours is a company that looks after its people and therefore can be trusted to take good care of its customers too.
Keep it clean
Particularly amid the backdrop of a global pandemic, cleanliness is of paramount importance. Your customers want to feel safe when they enter your store, so ensuring the place looks spick and span will go a long way to easing any concerns they may have. Conduct regular cleaning through the day – whether that be using a squeegee on the windows, hoovering the carpets or dusting and polishing surfaces. Hiring a professional team to get things ship-shape outside of business hours will also help you to keep the place looking spotless.
Know your stuff
Of course, as well as aesthetic factors, it’s absolutely vital that you and your staff know your products inside out. If a consumer comes to one of you with a question, it can look a little shoddy if you’re not sure how to answer. Make sure all employees are fully versed in everything they need to know and if it’s something they can’t answer on the spot, the query should be passed up the command chain. Either way, your customers should never leave without an answer, or you might find that they never return.
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