This is all so true. I advise my customers to take a video camera and walk through the store and take the typical path you see customers take, and record it all as you walk through the store. Customers typically have a bit of tunnel vision and your camera lens helps you look at things a bit more accurately. Just do it at a reasonable speed. When you watch the video hopefully on a decent size computer screen, look for the things you never notice. Look for the things that jump out at you or seem to disappear unnoticed, and then ask the question, why? Try recording from the rear of the store to the service counter and on to the front of the store? What sticks out to you? What can you do to improve visibility, clutter etc.?
Do the same from a distance outside your store as well. . Does your store stand out? How do your windows capture attention as you walk anywhere near your store? It's really not a bad exercise for any manager or owner.
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Are you overlooking what your customers are looking over?
Most retailers spend a great deal of time making their stores visually appealing. Whether your merchandising style projects an opulent, prestigious image, or a carnival of bargains, you're no doubt attempting to attract customers.
Sometimes, however, areas not considered display areas that are plainly visible to customers are overlooked. Unfortunately, there are times when these unintentional displays make a greater impression on your customer than your most magnificent strokes of merchandising genius.
Let's begin with the register area. This is perhaps the most crucial area because of the amount of time the customer spends standing at the counter. They have little else to do but read all the little signs and notes. In fact, it's often impossible to not read them.
One customer reported noticing a sign that used SMILE as an acronym, clearly meant to inspire the salespeople as they were completing transactions. It was a reminder of all the fine elements of customer service they were supposed to lavish upon the customer. The customer hadn't actually thought about whether she was satisfied with the store's service until she saw the sign and noted that her salesperson wasn't doing any of those things. She wasn't even smiling.
It's a great idea to slip on the customer's shoes and take a stroll around the selling floor on a daily basis. Anything that's not intended for the customer's eyes should be out of their sight!
This is one simple thing you can do to ensure that nothing detracts from your customer's great experience in your store.
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Harry Friedman
Harry J. Friedman is an internationally acclaimed retail authority, consultant, trainer, speaker, and author. Since founding The Friedman Group in 1980, his high-performance sales and management training systems have been used by over 500,000 retailers worldwide.
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