Customer experience. Brand Story. Relationships.
As the conversation continues about brick & mortar stores vs. their online counterparts, the offerings of experience and relationships are essential answers to the question of how physical stores can retain their relevance in the customer’s world. Retailers who operate out of a physical store have the opportunity to tell their story, create customer experiences, and build relationships in unique ways. However, the question that remains is does your physical space is tell your brand story, and does it offer the customer experience you desire?
Global Shop, an annual convention for retail design and shopper marketing, features “the industry’s most comprehensive array of store fixturing companies and in-store solutions.” Industry insiders held multiple learning sessions to address the challenges and opportunities retailers face to create and maintain relevance in an ever-increasing digital shopping era. One speaker asked, “How will the physical space, the fixture/display, and the investment tell your story?”
Two of our Benchmark Group team members flew out to sunny Las Vegas in March to attend Global Shop 2017. They had the opportunity to learn from leaders in the retail industry, and they also visited several of the 400+ exhibitors who were showcasing their innovative products and services. They soaked up the chance to learn more about these creative design innovations and how our interior design team can utilize some of these products when working with clients to create story-telling spaces.
The presenter at Global Shop closed the session by explaining many ways to know when your retail store design accomplishes it’s goals. Measure both tangible and intangible results, and remember this: Your ROI (return-on-investment) is equal to your ROE (return-on-experience).