It’s pretty common these days to think of startups as growing businesses that operate exclusively online. Indeed, that’s the main focus for a lot of modern entrepreneurs seeking to use technology, e-commerce, and web and app development to build businesses. However, there are still many new startups and growing companies out there that require brick-and-mortar store locations. If you happen to own such a store, or you’re considering starting a business that will need one, it’s important to realize that there are several ways you can still use modern technology to improve the customer experience and give a cutting edge impression.
Make Apps Useful In The Store
In a previous article about streamlining small businesses, we mentioned the importance of letting the Internet know you’re there. More and more, that means having a fully functional mobile app in addition to an ordinary website. And if your business is going to have a brick-and-mortar location, that app should be useful there as well as remotely. This can mean any number of different things. You may simply build a rewards program into your app so that customers can enjoy the benefit of earning points toward discounts when they shop with you. You may want to take advantage of beacon technology to recognize customers on the premises through the app, and contact them automatically with any news regarding sales or promotions. You can help the customer to truly connect with your store in person through these practices.
Abandon The Traditional Point-of-Sale
Ordinary POS systems, along with accepting and logging payments at designated registers, are becoming a little bit clunky and outdated. A lot of retail store owners are finding that they can more affectively meet customer needs by embracing mobile tech as it relates to accepting and tracking payments. With a mobile card machine or attached card reader for a mobile device, you can accept payments anywhere with network coverage. And as a result, you (or your employees) have the ability to roam the store freely and bring the transaction to the customer. It’s a great way to blend customer service with POS, and it also makes for the most convenient means of accepting new, contactless payment methods whereby customers use mobile devices to scan card information to pay with.
Adopt The Cloud
One of the best ways to rid yourself of basic management and organization hassles is to move your business to the cloud. This essentially streamlines all of your organizational tasks and keeps your information accessible, clear, and secure online. It’s primarily something that will help you and your employees on the business end of things. However, it will also help to improve the customer experience in subtle ways. By adopting the cloud, you can easily schedule and record appointments with customers (depending on the nature of your business) as well as track purchasing history and record customer data with ease. Whether or not people visiting your store consciously take note of all this, the experience will be more directly catered to their needs.
Modern technology can play a major role in the development of up-and-coming retail stores. The three ideas listed above make a specific impact on customers and can perform the vital step of giving your business a tech-savvy image.