The value of a consistently positive customer experience has evolved over the years. Especially in the digital age, physical storefronts are getting more creative with how they drive foot traffic and give customers an experience that makes a difference in their shopping habits. Everything about your store factors into how much time a person spends browsing or shopping. By tackling customer service from an experiential standpoint, it helps to increase sales and revenue, while creating loyalty for your brand.
A few areas of the customer experience to concentrate on is creating a hospitable environment, offering unique experiences, and giving people a reason to return to your store. Even for stores who have loyal customers, there’s still a greater opportunity to increase spending by making the interaction more personalized.
People tend to shop online for speed and convenience. Those who head in physical stores are relying on receiving an optimal experience. To increase customer happiness and see sales start to increase for your store, think about what it takes to make the best retail customer experience.
Creating a Hospitable Environment
It’s obvious that customers want to feel welcomed when visiting your store. This starts with the experience as soon as they walk in. Everything from the lighting to the music to the appearance of the store will immediately invite customers to linger longer or change their minds and head for the door.
The sensory effects create the type of hospitable environment that will make customers feel at ease without saying a word. For starters, organization is key. Organization is a calming presence all its own. When items are strewn about or not in their designated place, it can throw off a customer’s confidence in how the store is taken care of and valued. Keeping a clean store where items are situated in an orderly fashion and spaced apart in ways that make sense create a better aesthetic.
Music is also a sensory element that can affect a person’s experience. Loud, blaring music is likely not going to feel as welcoming, unless this matches your product or services vibe. In the instance of shopping for candles, soft, relaxing music likely goes over better among visitors to the store. On the flip side, this type of music may be too mellow for a cycling studio for guests who want to feel energized. Music sets the mood and paying attention to this is key when you base it on how it affects your clientele. Align these elements with what your brand represents and is overall pleasing to the senses.
The human connection makes a difference as well. Some people prefer to browse solo, while others need help making a selection. Having friendly customer service representatives greet customers as soon as they walk in the door will help determine the situation for each customer. Institute a standard greeting like, “Hello, welcome in today! Is there anything I can help with you today?” is a sufficient way to gauge a person’s shopping mood and act accordingly.
Being too forceful may scare them away. And, being too detached may make a person feel anxious or uncomfortable about asking for help. Another part of being hospitable is offering a person food or drink, the same way as you would in your home. A sustainable way to offer this is by investing in a FloWater Refill Station.
In today’s world, it’s not uncommon for people to carry around their own reusable water bottles when out running errands and shopping. Having a water station onsite gives them a resource they need in a fun, modern way. They don’t have to leave your store to go get a drink from the faucet or buy one from the food court. Nor do they have to worry about using plastic water bottles to stay hydrated.
The novelty for many of having access to free, filtered water they can access themselves while they shop is enough to create a welcoming environment you’re looking for. Additionally, if it makes sense for your store, offer a small seating area. For clothing boutiques, put in a comfortable couch for customers to wait while friends try on clothes or to take a break from shopping. This gives them the chance to decide about their purchases without leaving your store.
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Offering Unique Experiences
Offering unique experiences changes the way a person views your store and shopping experience. With the number of options customers have available instantaneously every day, what makes your store stand out from the others? For example, Vons and Trader Joe’s are two popular grocery chains, however, the products that are available and experiences of the two are completely different.
One of the biggest places you can stand out is the customer experience. What are the steps you’ll take to differentiate yourself from the competition? As an independent bookstore, maybe this involves hosting author events or special discounts for store members. Another idea is to host a book club once a month complete with coffee and pastries to create a sense of community right within your store. A FloWater Refill Station is valuable for these types of in-store events. Even if other beverages are available, people will always want a water option that’s clean and tasty.
Offering unique experiences makes shopping more personable and engaging as well. An electronics store, for example, often has big-ticket purchase items where people do not buy on impulse. In order to make it more convenient and comfortable for shoppers, offering free, filtered water keeps people hydrated and possibly prevents hunger so they can make the right decision without walking away and returning at a different time.
As a customer is considering their options, there’s a greater chance of connecting over a refreshment and friendly chat rather than pushing people into a decision. This kind of unique experience includes giving someone an inviting space and listening ear to make a purchasing decision they’ll feel good about.
It’s no surprise that people can’t think clearly when hungry or thirsty, let alone feeling pressured in a situation. Staying informative while meeting a customer’s needs takes away the average sales experience and creates an honest way to communicate with others regarding what they need.
Giving People a Reason to Return to Your Store
Most customers are already visiting your store because you have a product or service they need to buy. However, there are others who may not have frequented your place of business before and were referred by a friend or had heard about what you have to offer and want to check things out. Either way, you want to make sure you are providing a great customer experience that impresses them on a consistent basis.
People want to receive as much value as possible from their visit to your store. This is achieved in a number of ways. It includes providing speedy service and quick solutions to problems. It involves offering more than what they expected than when they first came in. This includes a special offer, incentive to return, or a free amenity such as filling up with FloWater.
Customers who shop in physical stores are looking for a positive experience rather than merely a transactional one which can be achieved online. It’s an opportunity for retail brands to put their best foot forward and encourage sales both in-store and online in the future. Regular training for employees is key. Doing things well across the board takes time and effort to practice good habits and find ways to continuously improve customer experience.
In today’s instant gratification world, customers are more selective about the brands they buy from. A majority of people want to use and support businesses that align with their core values, such as the impact on the environment a company maintains. FloWater offers an eco-friendly solution that doesn’t require the need for plastic water bottles and has an energy-efficient setup, it makes the offer even that much more attractive to people stopping in.
FloWater Gives Customers What They Want
FloWater is a benefit to any community thanks to its quality. Tap water is transformed through seven levels of filtration to deliver cool, crisp, purified water with ease. In addition to removing all sediments, bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants, FloWater adds valuable minerals and electrolytes. Plus, a unique coconut carbon finish helps to give it a great taste.
The refill stations are designed to easily handle a large capacity of people, so there’s no long lines or wait. The refill station dispenses water in nine seconds and auto replenishes to always have seven gallons of pure, perfectly chilled water ready to go. It’s also more sanitary than alternative water source options. The recessed nozzle, hidden catchment tray, and chemical-free self-sanitizing tanks minimize the buildup of dirt, germs, and grime.
Customers want to feel welcome with unique experiences and solid evidence that makes a store stand out. For retailers who want to step up their customer service game, FloWater is definitely a competitive way to go because of its ability to achieve this on all levels.
