Customer relationships have become increasingly important, because brands have realized that taking care of the people who buy from them means keeping them buying again and again—and, beyond that, recommending the business to others.
But that’s not all: consumers have changed, too. They know the market is full of places offering the same product or service, so they choose the one that pleases them most and offers real benefits.
What Is the Experience?
First, it’s important to understand what the customer shopping experience is. It’s the impression customers form of the environment while they’re in it, making their purchases.
It’s not just about products or services. It usually involves physical and emotional elements, which can be either positive or negative.
Moments of connection, warmth, joy, and well-being need to be part of the environment for the customer experience to truly be considered good.
An interesting customer experience case was Intel’s for the Extra hypermarket, which featured an interactive space where shoppers could discover and try out the brand’s computers, so they could choose the model that best fit their needs.
When ideas like this are designed to offer customers something innovative—something they’d never even thought about—that’s what truly wins them over.
The Physical Environment
Let’s start with the location. When it comes to a physical store, customers who choose to go there to buy a product instead of shopping online do so because they genuinely enjoy the environment.
First impressions are what stick, and that’s why consumers come back. So if your store is pleasant and offers the things customers may need while they’re there—such as water, seating, snacks, and so on—the chances of them returning are high.
The visual communication throughout the space needs to be cohesive. What’s more, customers always notice both the aesthetic aspects of the decor and the functional ones. Furniture, lighting, the products themselves—it’s all part of the experience.
Another interesting point has to do with music. It’s no accident that it’s played in shopping environments. It’s usually chosen to please customers, but you need to understand who they are and what they’re likely to listen to.
The Digital Environment
When we talk about digital environments, they also deserve attention. The digital landscape itself already offers customers a distinctive shopping experience.
Think of a company that sells welding machines online. If customers have all the information about the machine at their fingertips, plus installation tips and the contacts they need in case of questions, they won’t have any concerns about buying.
Speed is one of the things that makes customers admire an environment, along with secure websites that are easy to navigate and have a beautiful, inviting design.
Keeping Environments in Sync
The different experience each environment offers is very important, but making them work in sync is the key.
A company with both a physical and a digital presence needs to align its customer service, its design, and all of its communication.
If a water treatment plant has an informative website with prices, service areas, types of services, business hours, and so on, all of that information also needs to be available through the staff at the physical location.
Customers who need this type of service will connect the two environments and feel a sense of security and authenticity. Good in-person service and good online service.
Delighting the Consumer
When you invest in actions that truly touch customers, the results are spot-on and, in the vast majority of cases, positive.
Answering questions, understanding the needs of people looking for your products or services, and providing good service are what bring customers closer and closer.
So if you run a business, whatever the industry—from the most common, like clothing, food, and machinery, to the more unusual, like selling or renting event tents, dog walking, and so on—provide the best service you can.
Your customer experience makes a difference to your business and shows that a brand grows through details that are identified, transformed, and put into practice.
This article was written by Fernanda Silva, Content Creator at Soluções Industriais.
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