• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

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Clean Shop, Trusted Brand – How to Impress Your Customers

If you operate a retail business, you might focus too much attention on bigger details such as pricing and advertisement, to the extent that you miss out on smaller ones. One small but important detail that is often overlooked by most retail business owners is the impact of cleanliness in shops. In the UK, if you visit discount stores such as poundshop, Iceland or Poundstretcher, you will be surprised at how messy and unclean some of them are – even though they are large chains, which attract lots of customers. If you run a retail store, operating it in unclean conditions is not the way to go; it will cause you to lose many customers and devalue your brand.

Below is a look at how you can keep your shop tidy and impress your customers, thus guaranteeing they will return.

  1. Clean the windows, doors, signs, and exterior walls

A shop’s exterior spaces are the first peek customers and potential customers get at its brand image. Therefore, how it looks will determine how the customers will perceive your brand. For a positive brand perception, these spaces should be clean, to reflect the professionalism and trustworthiness of your brand.

Therefore, if your shop has any display windows, you should keep them clean and spotless, such that people can see what you are displaying. The same cleanliness standards should apply to your shop’s entrance, especially if your door has a glass surface. Exterior walls also need to be cleaned regularly, especially if they are painted in any bright colours which are easy to notice if they become dirty. Lastly, if you have invested in any signage, you should ensure that they are spotlessly clean to be conspicuous enough for your prospects.

While you can clean these spaces yourself, hiring professional shop cleaners such as Master Clearners in London is the better way to go. With their skills, experience, and high-end cleaning products and equipment, they can clean your shop to standards that will wow the customer and compel them to come inside.

  1. Make the reception area clean and welcoming

So, you have cleaned your exterior spaces and your potential customers have come in to check out what you are offering. What will be the impression they get when they enter your shop? The state of the reception area (front counter) will leave just as huge an impression as the exterior spaces.

For this reason, you should always make sure that the area is kept clean throughout the opening hours. Seats, especially upholstery ones should be clean, tables dusted, windows and walls clean, and floors dry and spotless. Remember, as the customer/prospect is sitting down waiting, they will be bored out of their mind and looking around. Any dirt surfaces are thus bound to be noticed, giving a bad first impression.

  1. Frequently clean the high traffic areas

High traffic areas inside your store are other places you need to pay special attention to if you want to impress your customers. Since these areas experience a lot of foot traffic, they accumulate dirt and dust very fast. Therefore, if they are not cleaned regularly, they can become a nightmare within no time. As a result, you should arrange for your cleaning company to perform more frequent cleaning of these areas. If possible, you or one of your employees should quickly wipe the floors the moment they become dirty – or in case of spills.

  1. Ensure that the display shelves, racks, and merchandise are clean

Most shops and stores are located next to streets or roads to capitalise on the foot traffic. Unfortunately, this means that the retail space is exposed to a lot of dust, dirt particles, and other pollutants, which easily find their way into the store and settle on various surfaces, such as the shelves, racks, and on the merchandise being sold. If these areas are not cleaned regularly, your customers can have a very negative impression of your shop. It is thus important to clean the merchandise display areas regularly, preferably every morning before opening up, and frequently throughout the opening hours if there is too much dirt and dust.

  1. Keep the shop space tidy and organised

Your store might be clean, but you are bound to make a negative impression on your customers if it is cluttered. Therefore, you should always ensure that the retail space is tidy and organised to project a professional brand image. An organised store space also makes it easy for customers to find what they are looking for, which helps to make sure that their shopping experience is fast and smooth.

  1. Get rid of bad odours

Another area of concern that you need to take care of in your shop is bad odours. Odours are usually caused by decomposing organic matter (for example, foodstuffs), dump floors, carpets, and furniture, spoilt merchandise (if selling perishable items), dirty ventilation systems, chemicals, and other pollutants that might find their way into your store.

For customers who are visiting your store for the first time, the last thing you want is for them to associate your shop with foul odours. If they do, the experience is likely to be memorable for them. As a result, you should ensure that the cleaning company you hire regularly cleans and checks all areas of your store for possible sources of odour. If the source is located outdoors – with the stinky smell finding its way to your shop – you should consider investing in an air purifier.

  1. Keep the toilets spotless and smelling fresh

Toilets are another area where you can impress your customers or scare them away for good. To prevent the latter scenario, you should always make sure that your shop’s toilets are cleaned on a regular schedule to keep them clean and fresh. The lavatory areas should be regularly sanitised, and in case of any “emergencies”, quickly cleaned up. The mirror and sink areas should be spotless, while the floors should be dry and clean. And to ensure that the cleanliness is maintained, you should perform a spot check several times through the day – to note any areas that need to be cleaned.

Summary

People who make their way into your store, even if it is to browse, are already interested in your merchandise, and thus you can easily convert them. However, if you have a hope of turning them into loyal customers, you must make a great first and lasting impression on them. Maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene in your store is the best way to make that great first impression. From the store’s exterior to the reception areas, display areas, and even washrooms, your shop should be sparkling. If you are unable to handle the cleaning by yourself, hiring a professional cleaning company can help you to achieve and maintain an impressive clean image for your store.

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