Do you know what your customers really want?

The golden rule in business is to give customers what they want. This might well be true, but do you really know what your clients desire, and are you succeeding in your quest to match their expectations?

As a retailer, there are several steps you can take to get to know your customers better and to understand and respond to evolving consumer trends and demands. Here are some effective steps you can take.

Interaction and engagement

We live in a world where it’s easier than ever to communicate with others. It takes a second to send an email or a text, and we can make calls to the other side of the world without paying a penny. For business owners, modern technology offers an incredible platform for interaction and customer engagement. You can use social networks, instant chat and interactive feedback and review features to talk to your customers, to discuss the service you provide and to get ideas and opinions.

Communicating with clients and shoppers is a means of gathering important information about the target market and highlighting strengths and weaknesses. Use market research to determine the best ways to keep in touch with customers and to learn about the kinds of offers and incentives that will appeal most to them. If you're targeting a young audience, for example, they might be keen to chat and hear about offers through social media. 

Evolution

The world of retail is changing and evolving all the time, and customers today are looking for something different to those that browsed the rails a decade ago. While some people might prefer a more traditional shopping experience, it's vital for retailers who are looking to maintain a competitive advantage to move with the times. Today, customer experience is as important as the price and quality of products. People want to enjoy the time they spend drifting through stores and they want more than to be able to pick up a new top or a bottle of perfume.

As a retailer, you should be aware of emerging trends and how they will impact you. To improve your store and enhance the experience you provide, it’s useful to collect and analyse customer feedback and to think about seeking advice from a retail consultant. It can be beneficial to get the opinion of an outsider with fresh eyes and to listen to ideas from experienced advisors with industry expertise.

Always consider your ideal buyer when making changes to your store or introducing new services or features. Bringing in technology such as AR or promoting social media sharing through an instant photo booth might appeal to a younger audience shopping for clothes, accessories or cosmetics, for example. 

Personalisation

Most of us have experienced poor customer service. Feeling like you don’t belong in a store or that you’re being looked down on by assistants is not pleasant. If this happens, you’ll probably avoid that shop in future and tell all your friends to do the same. Customer service is key in the retail sector, and clients appreciate touches that make them feel special and valued.

Personalisation is an effective way to increase the chances of converting leads and to enhance your brand image. You want to be seen as a retailer that cares about its customers, rather than a business that is only out to generate as much profit as possible. Even the simplest touches, like adding a name to an email subject line or offering a discount on a customer’s birthday can make all the difference. 

Rewards

There are few things that are more frustrating for shoppers than feeling like they are missing out because they are not new customers. Rewarding loyalty is an excellent way to promote client retention and improve your brand reputation. Don’t reserve deals and offers for people who have never set foot in your store or liked your Instagram posts before.

It’s much easier to keep customers than to attract new ones, and if you have clients that come back to you again and again, there's a good chance that they will recommend you to others. There are many ways you can make your loyal clients feel like VIPs, including sending them exclusive offers and deals, introducing a points or loyalty card scheme and making sure they are the first to know about new products or in-store events. 

If you manage a retail business, you might think that you know exactly what your customers want, but if you delved deeper into the minds of shoppers, would you be on the mark? Consumer demands are changing and new trends are emerging, making it more important than ever before for retailers to keep in touch with clients and make sure they know what their ideal customer really wants.