It is amazing to me how the smallest improvements can make a big difference in your customer’s experience.
- Install a cart return near handicap parking
Next time you are in a retail parking lot, look how many carts are stuck in between spaces or with the front wheels on top of the divider islands. Most stores space out cart returns evenly in the middle and back of the lot. Why not have a return near your customers who have the least mobility and are least likely to put their carts back? If you start noticing your carts hanging out in one place, why not make it an official cart return? - Bathrooms that keep customers shopping
If you want to know what a business thinks of its employees and customer, look at the bathrooms first. If they are dirty, the employees aren’t happy. If bathrooms are visible and easy to access, customers will shop longer which mean increased sales. Make sure the staffs have coat/purse hooks and a place to set a drink or personal items. - Be accessible nearby, but don’t attack
No one likes the salespeople who decent like hungry rats the minute your cross the door or step on a car lot. We all understand your team works on commission, but consumers have learned to fear high pressure sales. Instead, try this. Great everyone you see and offer friendly assistance when the customer is ready. Be available at a comfortable distance (like an expert waiter) so that you can step in the minute your help is needed. - Say welcome back
Instead of saying hello, why not say welcome back. Most people will be thankful that you remember them and feel valued. Would a first time customer feel insulted? Not likely. - Show your prices
When faced with a purchasing decision, price is a consideration. If price labels are missing, wrong or confusing, your customers will go somewhere else. At the beginning or end of the day, walk the aisles and make sure that everything is clearly marked and in the right spots. Think it doesn’t matter? When car dealerships offered employee or no haggle prices, overall sales increased.
