Retail Store Cleaning: Maximise Your Customer Experience

With 80% of UK internet users shopping online, it is more important than ever to provide a welcoming retail space to entice customers into physical brick and mortar retail stores. The lower prices and convenience of online shopping means that in order to retain customers in-store, shopping needs to be a pleasant experience.

Make your store entrance stand out

First impressions last and they begin with the shop front, in particular the way it looks. Clean sparkling windows, doors and displays will help present the right impression and encourage foot traffic into your store.

Alongside the physical appearance of your store, your staff should always encourage potential customers into your shop with a smile. The simple action of making eye contact can really make a difference, encouraging people to step into your store. Instilling this approach in your retail team takes minimal training but can have a great impact on visitors.

Maximise the benefits of in-store shopping

There are a number of benefits that customers can experience from physically visiting a store. Therefore, you should maximise the potential of in-store shopping for the consumer to make their visit worthwhile. Make sure that your floors are clean, and your displays are free from dust and dirt. A dirty store will lead people to have a bad opinion about your products.

Consider how you display merchandise

You should also think about how you display your products and clothing items in the store. Consider using a variety of equipment such as tables, shelves, floor racks and pegboards to make sure the customer can clearly see all the products on offer so they can find what they are looking for.

Improve changing room facilities

A clothes shop provides the opportunity to try clothes on before you purchase, but many clothes stores fall down by providing poorly maintained changing rooms. Make sure that your retail store’s changing rooms are clean, tidy and provide a pleasurable experience. Providing dirty, dusty changing rooms is going to have a negative impact on people’s opinions and could result in a potential customer failing to make a purchase.

Improve customer service

Once a clean retail environment has been provided, you can then take time to ensure that your staff are providing the best possible shopping experience. Make the most of your friendly staff. In a world of chatbots and long-distance phone calls, it can be refreshing to talk to a human being who is truly knowledgeable about the products and/or services your shop is providing.

Remember that your employees are representing your brand’s image, so they should be trained to deliver a high level of customer service and be readily available to answer questions and assist customers.

Follow some of these zero or low-cost ideas to maximise your retail experience

Two thirds of consumers have admitted to walking out of a shop because it was messy or unorganised. Make sure you don’t miss out on customers by ensuring your shop is well laid out, tidy and hygienic. Here are some of our top tips to maximise the retail experience of your customers:

Floorcare

Use floor mats, especially at your shop entrance, to minimise walk-through dirt. 80% of dirt is brought into buildings on the soles of people’s shoes, so make sure you are taking action to minimise this. Lay hard-wearing flooring to keep the décor looking good, especially with the wet weather we experience in the UK.

Daily retail cleaning

It is important to actively clean the store on a daily basis to keep it looking its best. A dirty retail store will discourage new customers from visiting your store and will have a negative impact on existing customers. It is a good idea to train your staff in basic cleaning, but if you want to do the job properly, it’s best to call in professionals. Jani-King are experts in retail cleaning.

Take notice of customers’ senses 

Stimulate your customers’ senses by effectively using lighting, music, smell and overall ambiance to fit your brand. Enlightening their senses can play an integral role in customers’ moods and their overall experience of shopping in your store. A number of brands are already beginning to invest in scent marketing, which can have a positive influence on people’s association with a brand and even increase the likelihood of them making a purchase.

Take pride

Have an eye for detail; broken lightbulbs or torn fabrics will not set the right tone for customers to hand over their cash.

Make sure shelves are stocked 

Take time throughout the day to make sure your shelves and displays are neat and tidy. Tell your staff about the importance of keeping displays tidy and picking anything up that should not be on the shop floor.

Limit mess 

If shelves have to be stocked during store opening hours, limit the boxes and mess to as little as possible to avoid an unprofessional messy look.

Plan your store layout

It is a well-known fact in the retail industry sector that 90% of customers subconsciously turn right when entering a store. Make sure to maximise the use of this area when planning the layout of your store. Perhaps add the new season stock here to showcase the latest items. Or, consider adding high ticket items with the highest margins to help maximise revenue and profit.

Start with the outside

Have a look at your store front with a critical eye and decide what could be improved and what needs to be done to make your shop more alluring to improve in-store traffic. Make sure you regularly freshen up your window displays and ensure they reflect the latest seasons and trends to stay relevant.

If your shop is in a busy location then use eye-grabbing signage to make sure that shoppers aren’t distracted by their surroundings.

Other ideas to maximise in-store experience & boost revenue

If you have a bigger budget to spend, why not consider the following tips to help make even more of an impact:

• Make your shop ‘Instagrammable’ – people love to share their experiences on social media platforms and in recent years we have seen a rise in Instagram friendly backdrops, flower walls and props. Perhaps consider adding a feature wall or art installation where visitors can admire and photograph? This will further boost the awareness of your brand as customers share the photos and experience with their followers.
• Improve the checkout experience – studies have found that British shoppers will likely leave a shop if it takes longer than 6 minutes to checkout. Consider using technology such as self-checkout or in-app checkout to minimise the time spent queueing.
• Provide free samples or tasters – handing out free samples helps your business to create a buzz around your products and raise awareness. People who receive free samples are far more likely to purchase from you as it increases their trust in your brand.
• Add social proof – add vinyl reviews in windows or signs around the store to help build trust with new customers.

Maximise retail experience with Jani-King

Retail is a highly competitive industry sector and if you want your store to attract customers then you need to be taking action to make sure your store is offering the best possible retail experience. Often this comes down to doing the basics right such as making sure your shop is clean, your staff are trained to provide excellent customer service and you take note of other features, such as smell, to encourage customers and instil brand loyalty.

If you want to find out more about our retail store cleaning services, then contact our expert team who will be happy to help you.