Is your retail store ready for Christmas?
Busiest time of year:
Christmas is hands down the busiest time of year for retailers across the country, with the increase of online orders and foot fall in retail stores. It is important for retailers to be ready for the busy period ensuring that they can meet customer demands. Retailers can do this by ensuring complete visibility of stock, giving customers multiple delivery options and ensuring staff on the shop floor are equipped to manage customer queries fast and effectively.
How to be prepared:
The key to a successful and profitable Christmas for retailers is to have an effective supply chain management system, ensuring that customers are not disappointed when items are out of stock. This can be achieved by implementing a complete end-to-end supply chain management solution through the use of barcode and RFID technology to track and manage stock throughout their warehouses and stores. Allowing retailers to efficiently manage stock, which, supports both online and brick and mortar stores services, such as click and collect. By providing these added value services to the customer, it allows the retailer to give the customer a true omni-channel experience.
By giving sales associates mobile computers and tablets on the shop floor they can check stock availability without leaving the customer side, thus, further improving the in-store experience. According to research done by PwC Irish Total Retail 2017 Survey “An overwhelming majority (81%) of Irish respondents reported that having sales assistants with a deep knowledge of the product range is the single most important attribute for them in-store shopping experience” this shows how vital for sales associates to be given the tools to be as informed as possible.
By having kiosks in place throughout the store will reduce queues at the checkouts as card payments can be made at kiosks, resulting in faster checkout time.
Return on investment:
By investing in these key solutions and technologies will reduce the cost of lost sales, reduce customer dissatisfaction with out of stock items and, improve workforce efficiency as sales associates can complete more tasks while on the move and, deal with customer enquiries more effectively and efficiently. All of this will ensure a successful and profitable Christmas for the retailer.
