Customers do enjoy dropping by a store, taking however long they like in selecting items, and then going to a checkout counter. In tight economic times, the customer can come to tolerate barebones self-service with the rationale that they're paying less for their purchases. Retailers might agree with them, viewing barebones customer self-service as an excellent way to cut personnel costs.
However, your profitability will suffer if you miss opportunities to make substantially bigger sales. Watch out for inadequate staffing levels and staff skills.
Except for thieves, consumers choose to be acknowledged when they enter a store or a department within a store. Beyond that initial contact, shoppers want staff available to answer questions. Don't confuse the customer tolerating barebones self-service with the customer treasuring barebones self-service. That includes the customer’s time at the cash/wrap. They want it to be quick, but also personable.
Coach your staff to be order getters, not only order takers. They should do this in a way that recognizes a prevailing truth: Customers like to buy, but do not like to be sold. Staff should have the skills of gently, but decisively, spiraling the customer in toward purchases that will both meet the customer's desires and boost your retailing profits.
The order getters are skilled at helping customers recognize those desires. Order getters know not to squeeze the customer too hard, since that blocks the free, natural flow of the spiral. At the same time, order getters know not to be so loose that the spiral loses its disciplined shape.
These same tight economic times which create a desire in customers for lower prices are also creating for employers opportunities to be more selective when hiring staff. Hire candidates who in the job interview show their skills by spiraling you into saying yes.
For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers
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Hire Staff Who Spiral In to Make Sales
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