It’s not arcane why online shopping is more prevalent each year. In the business of retail, chances are you don’t visibly see many of your customers anymore—but there are ways to rope them back in.
For the brick-and-mortars, a blend of the digital experience within the traditional shopping experience is becoming a necessity. In fact, according to the Progressive AE white paper, Balancing Technology and Human Interaction for the Future of Retail, online shopping revenue is expected to increase 62 percent by 2016.
There are three major areas in retail where the cohesion of human interaction and the implementation of technology can heavily contribute to building success. They are: rapid roll out plans, building brand loyalty, and sustainability solutions.
For any new brick-and-mortar, delays in a grand opening means loss in revenue. After all, you want to start that return on investment as soon as possible. This means to stay on schedule possible obstacles need to be identified early in the process.
The cohesion here is molded by an experienced team of architects and engineers. This team should have the necessary technology to work effectively with different regulatory bodies throughout the country.
With so many different code requirements that could potentially cause opening setbacks, technology can keep you up-to-date and proactive. Team online portals, web meeting technology, and Building Information Technology are crucial technological components in this process.
After opening without delays, you’ll need to build brand loyalty to keep those customers coming back. Technology has enabled brands to build more expansively, as geographic boundaries are essentially no more.
First of all, despite being a brick-and-mortar, it doesn’t mean your online presence should be nil. More retailers are recognizing the inseparable connection between online and physical stores.
For instance, they can supplement their stock rooms and increase sales with access to online tools on the sales floor. If a product isn’t available in store, employees can place orders from mobile tablets and have it shipped to the consumers’ door. These same devices can be used to quickly cash out products to expedite the purchasing process.
While technology enhances the in-store presence, it also plays a key role in sustainability. Using sophisticated software, owners can get data about systems, including a specified timeframe for return on investment, life cycle costs, or reduction of use from previously used equipment. With the help of engineers, these intricate decisions can then be made and customized as a proper solution.
Within these three major areas, the super combo of human interaction and technology will be driving force in building success for both the short and long term.
