While eCommerce sales have been booming to the tune of billions of additional dollars in recent years, retail locations are still the number one way people shop. That truth may serve as a breath of fresh air to many that assume their brick-and-mortar locations are at a disadvantage.
Although the consumer pool is healthy for traditional retail, eCommerce has certainly created a new set of expectations in customers when it comes to satisfaction.
Therein lies the value of learning how to improve the customer experience.
Our team has put together what we think are simple ways you can take your customer satisfaction to the next level, now! Keep reading to discover how you can revolutionize your shopping experience.
1. Make Checkout Faster
When people buy merchandise online, they don’t have to wait in line to checkout. That draws a stark contrast against in-person retail and is why it’s one of the first things that are worth investing in as you learn how to improve the customer experience in your business with faster checkout.
Fast checkout can be accomplished by adding self-checkout lanes. It might also be accomplished by increasing headcount at registers or even by offering mobile checkout to customers.
2. Have Aggressive Return Policies
eCommerce companies like Amazon offer returns on just about everything they sell. Many of these returns are accepted, no questions asked.
How does your store’s policy stack up?
To stay competitive, you need to offer aggressive returns that inspire confidence in your shoppers. If you do that, you’ll find you gain more business and very few people will cash in on the aggressive policy that got them in the door.
3. Hire Great People
Nothing is as impactful on a business’s customer experience than the people that business employs. If customers are exposed to workers that smile, are knowledgeable, and genuinely want to help, they’re going to have a much better time shopping than if they’re exposed to disgruntled team members.
Getting great people on your team comes from a rigorous hiring process and being able to pay competitive wages. Having a great team culture that excites people to come to work can also improve the attitude of your team.
4. Celebrate Your Best Customers
Your best customers are what keep your company in business. Share your adoration of the people that empower you by extending thank you notes, emails, or otherwise acknowledging people that support your dreams.
Having a customer experience manager that’s in charge of improving customer relations is a great first step towards keeping in touch with top buyers. That extra-attention may encourage people to buy even more from you!
5. Ask for Feedback
No amount of reading blog posts on improving customer experience will be as valuable as asking your customers what they’d like to see happen in your store. So ask them!
Send out surveys. Have checkout people pose open-ended experience questions to customers. Save the data you collect.
Through great questions, your team can collect valuable information that enables you to make impactful changes to your business.
You Now Know How to Improve the Customer Experience in Your Retail Setting
Knowing how to improve the customer experience in your retail setting is one thing. Taking the time to implement the ideas and feedback you get is another.
We hope you’re as much of a doer as you are a learner.
If you find yourself in need of additional inspiration, we welcome you to browse more content in our blog!
