The global outbreak of COVID-19 has thrown the retail industry into chaos. Most countries around the world have closed ‘non-essential’ businesses, including shops that aren’t selling food or medicine.
For those businesses that remain open, adapting around this crisis is essential if they are to stay successful and continue to provide a quality service to customers.
To help, here is a list of some of the major concerns that consumers have right now and how you can combat them to keep your retail store running effectively.
Uncertainty
One of the biggest concerns that customers are facing currently is a lack of certainty and information. They are unsure of what’s going on and how retailers and other companies are responding. To counter this, use physical signage in your store, as well as your social media presence to reassure customers that your business remains open and able to provide them with the products they need. Send email newsletters to reassure customers and keep them informed of any developments. By putting your advertising and marketing budgets to good use, you’ll be able to help customers overcome their fear of the unknown and show that your business is sensitive to the current situation.
Cleanliness
Keeping your store clean is one of the most effective ways you can keep staff and customers safe. It will also reassure customers that they are shopping in a sterile space that isn’t harbouring the virus. While most retail stores are kept clean, this unprecedented situation means that you will have to go one step further. Ideal Cleaning offers a specialist decontamination cleaning service that can ensure that your property is completely safe and sanitary. You can find more information here about the range of services they offer and the extensive experience that their team has.
Space
As part of the government’s social distancing guidelines, individuals are being advised to stay at least 2 metres away from anyone who isn’t a member of their household. This advice is particularly important when out shopping, as people will come into contact with many different individuals. To help customers feel safe when they’re out shopping in your store, consider setting a limit on how many people can enter your premises at any one time. Use duct tape or signage to indicate where shoppers should walk and where they should queue for the checkout so that they can stay away from other people without much effort.
The Availability Of Essential Items
Thanks to the panic around the fast spread of the virus, many shops have struggled to meet the demand for essential items such as bread, pasta and toilet paper. While there is enough food to go around, panic buying and stockpiling has led to many customers facing bare shelves over recent weeks. Help customers to feel reassured and reduce your chances of running out of stock by putting limits on the number of items each customer can purchase. This proactive approach will make customers feel assured that they can rely on your business for everything they need.
