Running a grocery store can be a balancing act with a lot of things to think about, from products to prices. If you own a store, make sure that customer experience doesn’t get lost in the scramble. While products and prices may bring people to stores, good experiences keep them coming back. Growing a base of regular customers can be a great way for grocery stores to do consistent business. If you’re looking for ways to improve customer experience, here are some things to think about.
1. Easy Use
The simpler and more enjoyable it is to use your grocery store, the more time and mental capacity your customers can dedicate to shopping. Making changes to your store can help remove obstacles that irritate or confuse customers. If your carts have squeaky or broken wheels, consider getting new sets of rigid casters for them. Carts are used in almost all grocery store trips, and a better cart can often lead to a better time at the store. If you want to know how customers feel, consider walking through your own store to see things from their point of view.
2. Appearance
People see your store before they set foot in it or buy any product. Periodically touching up paint and finishing inside and outside can make the store more appealing for future customers. It’s also a good idea to check lights, especially or near your signage, to make sure your store is lit up and cheerful looking.
3. Product Location
Instead of jumping right into layout changes, you can think of changing how your products are displayed. Bigger shelving units with wider openings can show off products in a more organic and less cluttered way, making it easier for people to see what they need or want. You can give your store a new, fresh feeling without moving a single item. End cap displays and mid-aisle units are also useful; keep products moving between end caps to give a sense of constant updates. If you do want to make a big change to your layout, consider mapping out your store first.
When balancing the many aspects of owning a grocery store, don’t leave customer experience out. The more enjoyable your store is to shop at, the better chance you have of turning every customer into a regular. Once you have people coming back week after week, you just have to keep them happy.