In today’s digital era, brick-and-mortar businesses face increasing pressure to remain competitive amidst the rise of e-commerce.
However, these businesses possess a distinct advantage in providing customers with immersive in-store experiences that online platforms cannot replicate.
To help businesses innovate and draw more customers to their retail stores, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members has shared their top customer experience tips:
1. Cultivate a welcoming shopping environment
Ensure that your store provides a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. Train your sales staff to avoid being pushy and create an environment where customers feel respected and at ease. Encourage them to freely explore products and learn about them without feeling pressured to make immediate purchases.
This mimics the enjoyable aspect of online shopping where customers can browse without feeling compelled to buy.
2. Integrate the physical and digital experiences
Leverage interactive product displays to bridge the gap between physical and online shopping. Consider the convenience of online shopping, where detailed product descriptions, reviews, comparison charts, and multi-angle photos help customers understand products without physically touching them.
Enhance your in-store experience by organising special events that offer exclusive discounts, virtual reality tours, and hands-on product trials.
3. Create a family-friendly space
If your target audience includes families with children, design your store to be kid-friendly and consider offering childcare options. Take inspiration from successful examples like IKEA, which provides designated areas where parents can safely leave their kids while they shop. Similarly, consider offering childcare services in businesses such as women’s fitness studios, enabling mothers to engage in workouts while their children have supervised playtime.
4. Foster social engagement
One advantage physical stores have over e-commerce is the opportunity for face-to-face conversations.
Ensure that your employees are readily available throughout the store, ready to engage with customers, address inquiries, and provide assistance.
Encourage your team to interact with customers, allowing them to learn about your products or services in a personal and meaningful way.
5. Personalise the sales experience
Go the extra mile to offer personalised services that cater to individual customer needs. Assign dedicated sales associates to guide customers through their shopping journey.
Train your staff to explain product features, provide detailed product comparisons, offer tailored recommendations based on customer preferences, and create a memorable shopping experience that stands out from online alternatives.
6. Offer exclusive in-store discounts
Transform your in-store experience by providing limited-time, exclusive discounts and promotions. Promote these offers through various channels such as online platforms, email campaigns, social media advertisements, or surprise customers in-store.
By providing incentives for customers to visit your physical store, you can effectively compete with e-commerce counterparts.
7. Optimise payment
Payment optimisation plays a crucial role in the success of every business, as it directly impacts the ultimate goal of profitability. To differentiate your brick-and-mortar store and drive customer satisfaction, it is essential to implement an optimised payment collection process.
Partnering with a trusted payment solution company like Fincra can give your business a significant advantage. With Fincra, you can access our comprehensive POS Terminal solution, designed specifically for in-person transactions. Our solution goes beyond a physical terminal and encompasses a complete payment ecosystem.
Fincra provides businesses with cutting-edge payment processing software, customised operating systems, and tailored applications seamlessly integrating with your existing hardware. Additionally, we offer a range of high-quality hardware options to facilitate efficient payment collection from your customers.
One standout feature of Fincra’s POS Terminal is the ability to accept payments through the “pay with transfer” option. Unlike traditional “pay with transfer” methods that require time-consuming confirmations and frustrate customers with long wait times, our solution ensures instant confirmation. It provides customers with a receipt for a quick and hassle-free in-person transaction experience.
By leveraging Fincra’s POS Terminal solution, your business can optimise its payment process, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive overall operational efficiency. Take a step towards payment excellence with Fincra today.
