The Retail Evolution: Customers Demand Enhancements to the Shopping Experience

As the retail industry continues to evolve, there have also been substantial changes in consumer expectations. Convenience and instant gratification have become high priorities in businesses, ranging from convenience stores to upscale retailers and specialty shops.

Simply put, each customer wants to accomplish their goal while facing a minimum number of obstacles along the way. If they require sales assistance, they may be willing to wait a few minutes to receive it. However, if they repeatedly encounter lengthy lines at a specific store, they may very well take their business to a competitor.

New Customer Behavior and Evolving Expectations

As e-commerce sales continue to increase, online merchants expand their customer fulfillment systems to meet the demand and enhance technology to elevate the overall experience. Across the board, customers are treated to fast product deliveries that leave them pleased with their shopping experiences.

To match and elevate the brick-and-mortar experience to its digital counterpart, many retailers are implementing technology to foster positive outcomes, build customer loyalty and create memorable experiences. As customers now expect their in-person shopping experiences to mirror their high-quality e-commerce purchases, technology plays an integral role in empowering customers, employees and business owners.

Benefits of Good Customer Flow and Queue Management

Retailers who achieve good customer flow and find an effective way to manage their in-store customer queues will realize several important benefits. While some payoffs are easy to recognize and appear instantly, others are more intangible in nature and produce positive long-term effects.

• Better customer shopping experiences: When a customer enters a retail store, they may be focused on purchasing specific items and making their exit. Other customers absorb themselves in the shopping experience, discovering items that may pique their interest. Both types of customers want a smooth traffic flow through the store. They would prefer to navigate the aisles at their own pace.

If a customer needs to consult with a service associate, they do not want to waste time looking for someone who can help. The customer wants to feel that the retailer respects their time and has endeavored to streamline the service experience.

Customers who can easily accomplish their goals are more likely to have a positive shopping experience. They may remain in the store longer than they intended, which provides them with additional product exposure and increases revenue. When they depart the store in a positive frame of mind, they are more likely to return.

• Benefits for employees and business owners: Well-controlled consultation or service desk appointments enable customers to receive one-on-one assistance from non-frazzled associates. When customers can book these appointments with their mobile phones, they can freely browse through the store until their appointment time.

A well-designed queue management system facilitates shoppers’ transit through the store. When customers arrive at the checkout station without delays, sales associates can process more POS transactions. This enables the retailer to generate increased revenues.

With seamless traffic flow through the store, employees do not have to weave through clumps of customers to complete their assigned tasks. This sets the stage for increased productivity.

With the assistance of the right technology, team members also feel more empowered to perform higher-value tasks rather than managing customer flow. Finally, employees who feel more valued have increased interest in meeting customers’ needs.

Maximizing Results with Technology

With so many benefits available to retailers who elevate their operations via technology, implementing best practices is crucial to long-term success. While each retail operation is unique, there are general tips for maximizing results:

• First, look to data to accurately staff retail locations, anticipate customer service needs and toggle BOPIS options. Look for patterns in occupancy, spikes in sales and other factors that will allow you to maximize staffing needs.

• Additionally, train staff to analyze patient profiles prior to the start of customer appointments, and generate relevant advice prior to the customer’s arrival. This “clienteling experience” will not only streamline the appointment but will also leave staff feeling prepared and confident.

• Finally, connect in-person shopping experiences with digital and BOPIS data and customer loyalty for a comprehensive, 360-degree view of each client. This will provide the most complex and rich view of client preferences, behaviors, desires and needs.

IKEA Implements Effective Queue Management Solution

To underscore the importance of queue management, let’s take a look at an example. Global home furnishings retailer IKEA (an Ombori customer) implemented a new queue management system to streamline its high-volume design consultation and customer support scheduling process throughout various store locations in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

From the customer’s perspective, this previously time-consuming task is now serving customers physically and virtually and has become more convenient and accessible than ever.

Each customer books an IKEA design consultation (planning service or any customer service inquiry) via the company’s website or an in-store interactive display. The customer receives an immediate confirmation via their mobile phone. This new solution also completely does away with paper tickets, reducing the impact on the environment, an important factor for many shoppers.

Final Thoughts on New Customer Behaviors

As the world continues to navigate the retail landscape, business owners can anticipate evolving customer behaviors, desires, and values. Often, implementing technology to assist in maximizing the customer experience is crucial to remaining relevant in the retail realm.

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Andreas Hassellöf

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Andreas Hassellof is the Founder and CEO of Ombori and has garnered years of experience as a tech innovator.