Take a look around. No matter whether you’re in a coffee shop or clothing store, people are using technology to stay connected. It’s proliferated our personal lives. Has your retail store kept up, or are you operating in the dark ages?
If your store isn’t using the type of technology you should be, you could be missing out on some big time sales.
Technology streamlines the shopping process. From trying on clothes to making a purchase, technology is used to not only ease, but also encourage the transaction. It takes a load off your employee’s shoulders and brings your business into the modern consumer’s world.
Here are three types of technology you might want to incorporate in your store to make your queues run smoother and move faster.
Occupancy Indicators
When a customer tries on clothing, she is 71% more likely to buy than if she saw a piece of clothing while browsing the sales floor, according to AlertTech research. The fitting rooms are the first place that a transaction starts.
When a potential customer is ready to try on his clothes, he heads to the fitting rooms. The doors are closed, and he has no way of knowing how long he’ll have to wait. There might not be a line, but he’s still not sure whether he can go inside.
The solution: Occupancy indicators.
The better you can let your customer know that a room is taken or available, the more likely he is to wait. Some occupancy indicators can also show you how long a room has been in use. If all the rooms are full, but someone has been using a fitting room for more than 10 minutes, the person will know that their wait will most likely be brief.
Occupancy indicators answer the unknown, giving your customer one more reason to stick around and try on his clothes.
Text Message Alerts for Fitting Rooms
No matter how short the wait time is, many customers won’t want to stand in line. Give your customers the option to receive a text message alert when a fitting room opens up.
Instead of requiring your customer to stand around, send them back out to shop some more. You’ll increase your chances of making another sale, and you’ll keep your customers committed to trying on the clothes they’re considering. Without this, they could leave your store without making a purchase.
Want to learn another way to leverage SMS? 10 Ways Retailers Can Stop Leaving Money on the Table
Mobile Payment Options
Often the psychology of queuing is more important than the statistics of the wait itself. – Richard Larson, an M.I.T. researcher.
Customers hate standing in line. With technology, you can eliminate lines from your store entirely. In turn, you’ll also remove the psychological burden of having to queue up to make a purchase.
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Mobile payment options allow your store’s staff to check out a customer on the floor. It’s faster and easier on your customer, making the transaction seem more enjoyable. With this easy-to-use and easy-to-incorporate technology, you’ll inspire a purchase and a repeat buyer.
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Can You Do More to Improve Your Queue Management Plan?
There’s a lot you can do to manage the queues in your stores. Download our free ebook “What is Your Queue Costing You? Queue Management for Modern Retailers” to learn more about the importance of getting your lines under control.
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