Who's the most important person to your business?

Before you say, "our customers, of course", stop and think - would your customers agree?
If any of the following sound worryingly familiar, it might be time to step back and look at your store with a fresh pair of eyes.

"I hate the music"
I love the music, but not when it's inappropriate or too loud. When it's both, then I feel you clearly hate me and want me never to return.
Too often the choice of music played is down to whoever is nearest the player, which can result in the staff being happy, but not necessarily the customers. 
Consider who your customer is and what's likely to appeal to them or represent your business best. Have a playlist for your store and make sure everyone sticks to it. Try to avoid music which is ubiquitous (there was a time a few years back when the merest hint of Dido as I walked into a store was enough to make me turn around and walk back out again) as well as anything appealing to too narrow an audience. Music should contribute to the atmosphere, not demand your customers' attention. 
A final thing. Beware of lyrical content. I once used a song which had great energy and tone, a song I loved, in a playlist for a workshop. It wasn't until I listened to it afresh that I realised it may not be as appropriate as I had hoped.*

I feel the walls closing in
I find it difficult to walk past kitchenware stores. There, I've said it. I'm the customer that will browse in your store hoping to find something without which their life will be incomplete. 
So why do I now avoid the kitchenware store in my local shopping centre? Let me tell you.
Having established themselves through doing a lot of things right - clean and clear fit out, quality product and strong range - they have now undone all of that work by placing trestle tables containing sale and bargain stock in the entry. Not a problem in and of itself, except that it has resulted in the entrance now being so narrow that entry and browsing can be awkward, the store looks cluttered and untidy and the shelves of full price product at the front of store are difficult to browse. 
A decision which was made to allow for the display and quick sale of extra stock has resulted in an unwelcoming entry and most likely affected sales of full price product from prime retail space.
On the face of it, this was a decision made with convenience, rather than the customer, in mind.

Don't make me have to ask you
A good retailer knows the value of engaging with customers, and will encourage interaction in a number of ways. That said, if your store is poorly laid out, with unclear signage and no thought to merchandising, then you're making it difficult for your customer to find what they're after. 
If you make your customers ask for help, they'll resent it. Not in the "I'm going to put a curse on you" kind of way, but enough to make some of them decide to shop elsewhere next time. Then there are those customers who just won't ask and will go elsewhere instead.
Consider, also, what happens during busy periods when you may not be able to get to all customers in a timely manner. If you're making someone ask, then making them wait to do it, you may as well kiss any return visits from that customer goodbye.

"Computer says no"
I don't care how nice your staff are, if they don't have decent product knowledge, aren't sure of their processes and can't show flexibility or initiative in responding to my requests, they're wasting my time. End of story.
Train them properly, give them the tools to do their job and show them that customer service is your priority. If you're not doing those things, you're not  about the customer.

You're dead to me now...
You've had great service from the sales assistant. They've been pleasant, helpful and knowledgeable; all the things you look for. They take you to the counter, put the sale through, take your money, hand the bag over, then...switch off and go back to what they were doing!
I think of this as the "you're dead to me now" behaviour. Whilst there's a possibility of a sale, you're the focus of attention, but once the transaction is complete, you no longer exist.
Your customer is judging you until they walk out your door. Don't undo all your good work by making them think you're insincere.

What do we take from this?
Your customers should be front of mind with everything you do, from the way you lay out your store to the music you play to the way you behave. Not in some things and not most of the time - in all things and all of the time. 
Maintaining a consistently high standard isn't easy to do, but those retailers who make it their business to ensure their customers feel welcome, happy and valued are those who are best able to weather the tough times.

I'd be interested to hear what you think. How do you show your customers you value them?



*If you're interested, you can check out the song by clicking here. I think you'll like it - just watch where to play it!