On other occasions, we have discussed the challenges and trends to come in the future of retail. One of our favorites is converting points of sale into points of contact, so that the customer can enjoy a distinctive shopping experience.
With this, customers are more attracted to the physical retail outlet and they are offered something extra that they couldn’t even dream of having with an online shopping experience. Here, you could say that anything goes. The key is to offer the customer a set of products, services, or sensory experiences that will make them feel comfortable and happy, and reverse the image that many people have of shopping and running errands in physical stores as being tedious tasks.
We’re not going to deny that. The age-old, traditional concept of the point of sale is not the most attractive thing in the world, and the key is in turning this concept on its head in order to take advantage of all the opportunities that our retail space can give us, as well as offering customers something groundbreaking and different.
Impersonal Spaces Where People Wait for Hours
The long lines and waiting times are one area of the shopping experience that leaves customers dissatisfied. Boredom and wasted time are two things that make people feel depressed during their wait, and this may be caused by the very physical spaces where they wait, which are overwhelmingly cold and impersonal.
But this fact has an incalculable value for businesses if they know how to take advantage of it. Having customers in your physical space, and for a prolonged time is a treasure that many people strive for in their businesses. The way to turn these into profitable spaces is to offer customers a valuable experience that they can enjoy.
How Can We Reinvent Traditional Waiting Areas?
As we mentioned before, anything goes. There are no rules. Well, yes, one rule: adjust this new concept within the confines of the business and the customer’s needs, creating relevant experiences.
Physical spaces that are usually dedicated to waiting can be transformed into more attractive spaces in which customers can see and touch the products that they are interested in, or any other piece of furniture that is interactive and allows them to learn more about what is being offered. It is a good idea to add branding elements that include both dynamic and static images, and which are conducive to the space’s more welcoming and modern environment.
Before, we have discussed ministerial buildings, which are a good example of these spaces, and one example of endless waiting could be the post office.
Well, taking this into account, in one of their most recent projects, HMY has managed to create a new concept for Spanish Post Offices.
The new store model is called TU CORREOS and it is a commercial project that will be implemented in 75 Post offices throughout Spain.
The idea is to offer new shopping experiences to boost sales, and this will be achieved through a wider offering of products, an area created especially for stamp collectors, and, of course, the self-service area, so that people can access bookstore products, convenience items, etc., But all of this would not be possible without the help of the most modern technology, which allows for a very efficient queue management system, with which customers can move around freely without having to feel “stuck” in line, as they did before.
Taking Advantage of Technology to Liven Up the Wait
Time is money and, if stores know how to manage their customers, they can increase sales exponentially. To do this, and to avoid having people wait for service in one particular spot in the store for long periods of time, the customers can also take advantage of technology.
With the installation of digital devices and information screens, you can establish a communication display which shows the customer exactly when they need to return to the area where they were waiting, or directly connect their mobile phone to receive alerts.
All the time that was spent waiting for their turn in front of the counter, can now be spent in other parts of the store, making the shopping experience much more efficient for the customer and profitable for the store.
HMY’s queue management is a completely customizable service which you can adjust to the needs of your company, adapting it to your space and keeping your business’s characteristics and customers in mind.
Think about it. If you combine the creation of new spaces with time management, new opportunities for your business will grow much like your customers’ satisfaction. And you know what happy customers mean to you!
