In recent years, small retailers have experienced a drop in sales, in favor of the rise of large retailers.
More and more people are attracted by the offers and great availability of products of the big chain stores and online e-commerce giants.
However, there are some strategies that small retailers could still undertake to regain a good share of their customers’ market.
Some of these benchmarks can be followed quite easily, while some others certainly take some extra effort, even if only for a limited period of time.
The reason why customer service must be excellent
Great customer experience and service will primarily serve to preserve loyal customers and gain new ones through one of the best and oldest marketing channels in the world – the word of mouth.
Courtesy, calm and patience are certainly at the basis of any good relationship with customers, as well as genuine interest in them and their wants and needs.
Of course, you need to find time to devote to your customers and find out how to create the personal atmosphere that is so hard to maintain on large corporations.
Being available to your customers will give them the reassurance that, if something is wrong, they can go directly to you for the resolution of the problem – an advantage which is particularly appreciated by all customers.
The goal is to retain the customer
Creating long and lasting customer loyalty is not easy, and there are often many issues that need to be addressed to be truly competitive.
First of all – you need a presence on the relevant social media platforms.
Updates about new products or new promotions, responses to customers and even technical information can be communicated in a timely manner to all customers using these platforms.
Having your own website can help you present the main characteristics of products, answers to frequently asked questions, a helpful self-service section etc.
Depending on what a particular retailer will sell, another winning idea could be that of a delivery to customers’ homes, and if possible – creating a formula that can guarantee free delivery from certain buying sums.
One last “cuddle” to give to those who decide to make purchases at your shop, could be a points collection system which, once a certain amount is reached, provides for a discount on the next purchase, or a free prize.
You could also think of a loyalty card, or an application for mobile phones, in order to make sure that your customers have significant benefits from staying loyal to your brand.