Perhaps someday online retail will engage more than the eyes and ears of their customers. Meanwhile, brick-and-mortar stores offer customers sensory engagement, direct product expertise, plus “here and now” gratification. These advantages and more provide a rich shopping experience unavailable online.

So, what are a few steps your store can accomplish to optimize its unique advantages over online-only retailers? How will you create memorable customer journeys that get talked about?

Start by building upon the fundamentals of what your store does best today, including deep product expertise, improving your sales team's customer service skills, and deploying a few tricks from the online shopping experience.

Fast, Convenient Product Pickup

Unless paying a significant premium, most online shoppers endure a wait up to several days for purchases to arrive. One exception to that is buy online, pick up in-store (BOPUS). Many retailers offer this service, but some might not allocate this service combo the time and resources it deserves to make it truly customer-centric.

For instance, when in-store pickup is accessed via a customer service desk that is multi-tasking returns, answering questions, handling in-store card signups, and so on, customers who have already paid for products may experience long waits in line. This situation rather negates the convenience factor for which they had hoped.

Even if your store has a separate line for online purchase pickup, is it properly staffed to account for peak demand? Are there complications in the checkout process that create unwelcome delays? Are your associates prepared to handle questions the customer may have about the product? 

Don’t leave customers wondering if they would be better off waiting at home for the delivery truck next time.

Reinforcing Sales Associates' Customer Service Skills

CRM software assists with store analytics, social media engagement, and loyalty programs. But, can it ensure your sales team has polished their essential skills for managing customer needs?

Customer Communication

Associates must practice communicating product features while only imparting the information most relevant to customer needs. That might mean avoiding a pivot to the nitty-gritty technical details of, say, 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i3 processor design features versus 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processors for customers interested simply in raw performance.

Extensive Product Knowledge

However, in order to calibrate an associate's tech product knowledge to customer queries, they need in-depth knowledge, top to bottom, of what they are selling, and it needs to be up-to-date. They should be fluent in processor features, memory types, storage solutions, performance boosting technologies, such as Intel® Optane™ memory technology, and how to customize system and peripheral setups.

Adapting to Customer Moods

Customers may express emotions from curiosity to aggravation when searching for product solutions. A sales associate's ability to exercise patience and empathy in their role as product expert and advisor is crucial to making customer connections. In the case of product returns, a well-developed ability to graciously accept criticism is also invaluable.

Customer-First Work Ethic

In-store customers especially appreciate sales associates who see them through to a solution. The willingness to go the extra mile plus time-management skills so that other customers are not neglected are essential to achieve this balancing act. Their extra effort will enhance any customer's in-store shopping experience.

Emulate Online Advantages

Nothing says that you cannot also apply a few online shopping tactics as well in your quest to provide a stellar customer journey:

• Provide detailed product descriptions via print, demo display, or mobile app.
   
• Offer customers an opportunity to review their product purchases or your store's shopping experience. Display the results in-store and online.
   
• Display authentic data on additional products that customers are buying such as related bundles of accessories or peripherals.

Customers expect retailers to have an online presence. In fact, 88% of shoppers research products online before heading to their local store for purchasing. A strong online presence for your brand only helps to drive more in-store foot traffic. 

Create an Inspiring Shopping Journey

Your store should engage a range of customer senses while offering a positive, human touch via well-trained, knowledgeable sales associates that online shopping cannot match. Ensuring a high level of customer service skills among your staff leads to memorable shopping experiences and purchase satisfaction. 

Satisfied customers will be inspired to return to your store for future purchases and will be more likely to pay you their highest compliment with word-of-mouth recommendations or online social media reviews.

Product Knowledge Is a Click Away

Training is key to guarantee your sales associates possess the latest detailed knowledge about Intel® products and technologies. The Intel® Retail Edge Program is an engaged, interactive online community that provides your sales team with the latest information on Intel® processors and technologies and the devices that have them.

Encourage your sales team to take advantage of all the benefits and features of the Program. It not only increases their knowledge base on products for sale in your stores, but also helps them create more amazing customer experiences.