At Your Service

Customer experience matters more than ever for successful brick-and-mortar retailer

Let’s get something straight—reports of the death of brick-and-mortar retail are greatly exaggerated.  Yes, COVID has completely changed the playing field.  Yes, shoppers have fallen in love with the screen command “buy now with one click.”  

“86% of consumers still make more than half of their purchases in physical stores”

But in its State of Brick & Mortar Report, ServiceChannel finds that 86% of consumers still make more than half of their purchases in physical stores.

However, ServiceChannel also reports “too many retailers have abandoned the basics and are subjecting shoppers to terrible in-store experiences. In fact, 70% of shoppers report a negative experience in the last six months at a physical retail store.”

That statement is kind of a whopper.  Not to worry, however.  If you are a retailer who has questions on how to improve customer service, blogger Francesca Nicasio has answers.  Ten of them to be exact.

1. Remember—and appreciate—repeat customers.  Nicasio encourages merchants to let frequent customers know that they are grateful for their purchases, and to make a surprise thank you a key component of customer retention.

2. Send personalized video messages to new customers.  Nicasio argues that welcome messages are a common practice in online retail, and that shop owners would do well to also capture the magic of a personalized welcome.

3. Proactively address shipping issues.  A biggee now that “supply chain” is part of our everyday vocabulary.  Nicasio recognizes that shipping issues aren’t technically the retailers’ fault, but that it’s very important to closely track customer orders and stay ahead of the situation by getting in touch with shoppers.

4. Help associates come up with perfect greetings.  Nicasio suggests that cookie-cutter greetings like “Can I help you?” show disinterest and encourages retailers to come up with 10 creative ways to greet customers.

5. Hire employees who go out of their way to cheer up a shopper.  Nicasio acknowledges the right approach can vary from customer to customer, but start with something as simple as a compliment.

6. Find a way around stockouts.  Nicasio says the best way to do this is to avoid stockouts altogether, but that retailers who are go-getters might call customers and offer substitutes or give backs.

7. Know your regulars.  Not just by name, says Nicasio, but by their shopping habits.  That might include a call home when stock items arrive or a management system that tracks customer habits.

8. Know your products and put your knowledge to good use.  This comes in handy, Nicasio points out, when discussing benefits of differing items, or teaching a customer about a new product.

9. Be on the lookout for commonalities.  Nicasio argues that successful merchants find things they have in common with their customers.  A local café.  A bingeworthy show on Netflix. An author they both enjoy.

10. Be prepared to deal with mishaps.  Seems easy, but Nicasio says that retailers will fare a lot better with a sincere apology and a quick effort to compensate for what happened. 

The impressive numbers from recent holiday sales make clear that the brick-and-mortar retail experience is alive and kicking.  It’s the job of service oriented merchants and shop owners to keep it that way.

Kim Kelley, Marketing Guru

Kim Kelley is the Principal at Creative Marketing Arts. With over 30 years in the Shopping Center industry, Kim offers creative ideas blended perfectly for REIT Advertising and Marketing. With an eye for perfection and creative flair, Kim offers all clients Out of the Box solutions.