When it comes to competitiveness in business, small businesses need to use every advantage they have to attract and retain customers. But while the focus is typically on the interiors of a retail space, the customer experience actually begins outside.
In overlooking exteriors, business owners could be missing a vital opportunity to enhance the customer experience even further and build a smoother journey for patrons before they’ve even stepped in the door. Thoughtful exterior design and strategic amenities not only enrich a customers’ experience, but it can result in higher ROI and profits for companies.
Think About Exterior Amenities
Thoughtful exterior amenities can significantly bolster the customer’s experience and potentially increase dwell time in your premises. For example, outdoor seating areas extend usable space and create a relaxed environment for customers, before and after they’ve shopped with your brand, while bike racks show consideration for cyclists and may attract environmentally conscious customers.
Pedestrians are a vital consideration in any well-designed exterior space. To ensure the safety of those navigating the area around your property, whether they’re customers or not, it’s important to incorporate proper walkways and consider the use of protective barriers like railings if you’re located on a busy main road. These measures can help prevent accidents, keep people safe and avoid potential liability for injuries.
Focus On Boosting Security
A sense of security is crucial for customer comfort and trust in your brand. Installing comprehensive CCTV systems and subtly communicating their presence serves multiple purposes – deterring criminal activity, providing evidence if incidents occur, and reassuring both customer and staff of their safety. Proper lighting during darker hours similarly provides greater visibility and offers a more protected environment for lone workers and customers throughout the day.
Creating An Inviting Entrance For All
The entrance to your store sets the tone for the whole customer experience, making it essential to create a space that is inviting and accessible. Your doorway should be accessible and send a welcoming message to all customers. This may mean widening doorways to comfortably accommodate wheelchairs and parents with prams, while installing ramps can greatly assist people with mobility issues. Additional thoughtful design elements can help to manage a smooth flow of customers, even during busier periods.
Consider the surfaces you use on the floors too – textured flooring can help to provide grip underfoot and assists customers who are visually impaired. In areas with unpredictable weather, features like awnings or covered walkways protect the customer from the elements and make their visit more convenient and comfortable, no matter the time of year.
Foster A Cohesive Brand Experience
Part of creating a seamless customer journey is providing consistency for everyone who engages with your brand, whether they’re new to your business or not. Consider the use of colour, for example, and developing window displays that align with your brand’s aesthetic. Your store’s exterior should reflect your brand’s personality and be recognisable instantly – especially if you have premises in multiple locations. Maintaining this consistency helps to build brand recognition and aids in boosting customer trust.
Include Signage For Brand Visibility
Effective signage is the silent ambassador of your brand – in fact, it’s often the first point of contact between your business and potential customers. As many as 76% of customers say they’ve entered a store they’ve never visited before based on its signs, and four out of five have had trouble finding a business due to a lack of signage.
Well-designed, clearly visible storefront signage helps attract attention, communicates your brand identity, and helps to guide customers to your location, especially if you’re in a busy area. Incorporating digital displays can also add a dynamic element to your exterior, allowing for changeable messaging that can highlight promotions or provide useful information to passers by.
Don’t Forget Technological Integration
In an increasingly connected world, integrating technology into your exterior design can set you apart from competitors and make the journey more seamless for customers. Offering free Wi-Fi that extends to outdoor areas can encourage customers to linger, while external charging stations for mobile devices or even electric vehicles can be a draw for tech-savvy customers or those in need of a power boost. For some businesses, interactive kiosks or displays outside the store can also help to engage customers before they enter the store, providing information or even allowing for after-hours browsing or purchasing.
Add Sustainable Design Elements
Sustainability is important for every business today, and it’s something that can be incorporated into your exterior design to not just improve aesthetics but actually enhance the customer journey as well, while reducing your overhead costs. For example, energy-efficient, motion-activated lighting keeps energy use down but also ensures that customers benefit from the convenience of automated lighting when they’re navigating the space. Green walls and roofs, meanwhile, provide insulation for a more comfortable interior, and demonstrate your commitment to sustainability.
Measuring ROI And Profitability
While the upfront costs of these types of improvements can be significant, particularly for smaller businesses, the potential return on investment will ultimately more than justify the expense. Improved exterior design often leads to increased foot traffic and longer dwell times from customers, both of which can translate to higher sales.
What’s more, enhanced customer experiences boost satisfaction and loyalty from your patrons, leading to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth. Efficient design elements like energy-saving lighting or improved insulation can also reduce operational costs over time, as well as making the space more comfortable and usable for customers. When adding these types of upgrades, consider the profitability versus the upfront expense – in many cases, you’ll find that the ROI makes it worthwhile.
Investing in thoughtful exterior design is about more than just improving appearances. Business owners looking to boost their profits and reputation need to remember that the customer journey begins before they’ve even entered the building. In a competitive industry like retail, making strategic changes to the exterior of your premises can make all the difference to enhance the experience and boost loyalty from consumers, and increase the likelihood of them shopping with you again in the future.
