Why Improving In-store Customer Experience Is A Must?

A study has revealed that about 50% of customers believe that they possess more information on the products than the in-store associates. Some customers want to avoid uninformed sales staff, a heavy sales pitch, or find it uncomfortable when someone is around while they look at merchandise. However, they are looking for some help in deciding on a product they want to buy, and they don’t want to feel ignored when they need information. In such cases, an uninformed store associate, would turn it into a bad customer experience and loss of revenue.

So, if the physical stores really want to turn it around, they must improve customer experience and customer engagement by their in-store sales staff providing necessary information.

How can they do that?

1. Developing a mobile application for the store’s brand - The in-store staff can use it to show comparison of the products, product features, product accessories to the customers and check available inventory if someone is interested to buy the product or a variant. Basically, helping potential buyers to decide quickly and helping them to place an order to buy the product. It can also be used to collect the data of the potential buyers directly into a single repository like a CRM if they do not buy the product immediately. The data can be used to follow up with potential buyers.

Retailers can equip their sales people with mobile devices and digital technology, so they can have quick access to product information and can answer customers’ questions and make suggestions effectively and efficiently. It can also help in building trust in the minds of the potential buyers as the in-store staff can be seen advising from a published source of knowledge about the product.

2. Mobile Payment Solutions and POS Solutions for accepting payments - Retailers can accept payments using mobile payment solutions such as ApplePay, GooglePay as well as POS Solutions such as Square, Clover which accept payments via credit cards, debit cards and e-wallets. Mobile application for the store can be integrated with these payment solutions thus increasing the ease and efficiency of the overall process for the in-store staff which will delight the customers, as they have a quick, easy and stress-free checkout experience.

I recently visited an AT&T retail store and found that their sales associates are equipped with tablets allowing them to assist customers with product and account information, technical support, and a variety of other services. It was such a pleasure doing business with them that I have started recommending them to my friends and colleagues. Another example I would like to quote is Apple retail stores. They too offer a very similar experience.

A smooth and seamless retail experience for customers can help to increase sales and to keep customers happy. The businesses who won’t keep up with the current trends, will lose out to competition and eventually die. So, you better hurry up !!! ????

Software development teams at Aress Software are highly competent in developing mobile apps and integrating them with mobile payment solutions, POS Solutions. Please write to us at info@aress.com to know more.