Nowadays, retail is a very competitive industry. In e-commerce, shopping cart abandonment rates are stellar, as there is always another option just a click away. But brick-and-mortar stores aren’t safe either, as customers can always walk away if they are inconvenienced in any way. A company cannot exist without customers, and the only way to retain them is to make sure they are satisfied with the product as well as the service. Here are a few tips that will help you increase customer satisfaction if you have a retail business.
Choose your employees wisely
We cannot deny that it has happened to all of us that an unpleasant interaction with an employee deterred us from making a purchase or even made us abandon a store completely. Therefore, it cannot be stressed enough just how important it is that you find the right people to represent your store. Your hiring process might need some reorganization since the personality of your potential employees is more important than their qualifications. They should be naturally friendly as customers can easily spot if their smile is fake.
The customer is always first
To make sure your customers feel valued, you should always focus on the customer that is in front of you at the moment. If you have a small business, a small number of employees might make it difficult to juggle everything at once. However, if a customer is approaching you, has a question or they are waiting at the register, they should be on top of your priority list.
Don’t be too pushy
No one likes pushy sales representatives, so make it a point to steer clear of such behavior in your store. Rather than hovering, which can make customers feel uneasy, employees should let customers know that they are there if they need any help and then give them some space. While the customer is browsing, they should find small tasks to take care of around the store to always be there but still keep their distance. If a customer has a question, they will be able to find an employee easily, which is extremely important, but customers still won’t feel like their every move is under watch.
Always have an answer
When a customer asks a sales representative a question, “I don’t know” should never be the answer. Customers value if a sales representative is knowledgeable, as oftentimes, they visit a physical store in order to find out more information about the product they are interested in. So, it’s not enough for your employee to act as a salesperson; they need to have expert knowledge about the products you’re selling so that they can give useful advice to customers. Even if they cannot give the customer an answer at that moment, your employee should reassure them that they will do everything in their power to find the answer as soon as possible.
Cut down on the waiting times
One of the most annoying experiences for customers is long waiting times at checkout. Your customer has decided to make a purchase; you certainly don’t want to deter them at this point by using an inefficient and unfair queueing method. So, redefine the checkout process: make sure that you have enough staff so that another register can be opened at any time, but you can even consider modern solutions. For instance, you can implement queue management software, switch the checkout to an iPad POS system, or allow in-app checkouts, as some stores do.
Quality products are important
At the end of the day, no matter how good your customer service is, if the products you are selling don’t hit the mark, it will all be in vain. Therefore, to ensure customer satisfaction, your efforts should go towards finding reliable suppliers that share your values and will wow your customers with the quality of their products. You should find a company such as Style State that has a history that proves that they are dedicated. This will keep customers coming back for more.
Make sure your store is not confusing
It doesn’t take much for customers to get frustrated, and something that will certainly make them annoyed is not being able to find something in your store due to confusing organization. So, you should make sure that your store is well-organized, properly lit, and has the right signage so that it’s easy to navigate and browse. Making the design unique and eye-catching will also appeal to customers and they will enjoy the time spent in your store even more.
Say “thank you”
It goes without saying that you say thank you to your customers after they complete a purchase, however, this should not be all there is to it. You should be genuine when you thank your customers so that they feel appreciated, so just saying thank you mechanically will not cut it. Rather, start practicing various ways of expressing your thankfulness. For instance, you can implement loyalty programs where customers who have been sticking with you receive a gift of appreciation. You can also reward customers who have spent a certain amount of money with a thank you email and a coupon code – they will be happy to come back.
Conclusion
You need to invest a lot of effort if you want to make sure your customers are satisfied and will visit your store again. Remember that customer experience is extremely important but it only works if your products also hit the criteria. So, focus on improving both and you will soon see positive results.
