Handling window shoppers

 

Handling window shoppers

Shopping is an experience, and window shopping is a part of it. Some customers have a favourite shop where they can walk in directly, while others try window shopping and finally select one.

Whenever I get an assignment on retail training, I engage in mystery shopping to observe the sales team regarding their communication, body language, customer handling skills, etc. During one such assignment, I saw a lady doing window shopping who just walked into the stores and finally walked empty-handed, which is quite common in retail. What surprised me was the giggling smiles of a few salespeople and their comments about the lady after she left the store. Since the sales team was not adequately trained, that would have been the reason for their behaviour.

Let us understand how to handle window shoppers. Window shoppers can be variety seekers, price sensitive, and would like to check now and buy later; it can be their outing or a tourist.

In retail footfall counts, there are no sales without footfalls; hence, you should encourage window shoppers to visit the stores, but how we handle them matters.

Here are a few tips to handle them effectively.

1.   Receive with a greeting.

2.   Seek what they are looking for.

3.   Guide them to the right counter.

4.   Don’t force them to buy anything.

5.   Maintain patience.

6.   Once they have seen the shop or the floor

7.   Ask them the following questions:

·       How is the collection?

·       Is there anything specific in your mind?

·       Can I help you to select?

8.   Once they start walking out, try to collect feedback about the shop and get their name and number to communicate offers. If they refuse to give, don’t force them.

9.    Thank them and ask them to visit again and refer their friends and relatives.

Once we approach these people professionally by following the above tips, the customer will like your approach, and this will stay in their minds, which might bring them back to the shop again.

 Let us remember this:

Shopping is an experience for the shopper is treated well, he will delight us by giving business at the right time.

M.L. Narendra Kumar