The most successful retailers across the globe understand that having the attention of the modern consumer is key to their success. The apps that the biggest technology companies give us to install on our phones, are designed to capture our attention and more importantly, keep it. The best advertising campaigns are those that we engage with and tell our friends about. The best in-store and online experiences are those that immerse the consumer in the brand.

Walking into any Starbucks you are immersed in the brand, from the smell of the store, to the service that you receive. You know exactly what to expect. Starbucks have gone the way of many fast food retailers with drive-through’s and apps that allow them to pre-order their drinks on the way to the store. Customers are engaged with Starbucks in and out of the store. In a world of likes and shares, interaction with the store plays an important, if not vital, role in the promotion and growth of businesses. The Orange County café, “Good Morning Lavender” is a great example of a business that has embraced the customer experience and the need to capture their customers attention.

Running shoe stores no longer ask you to put on the pair of shoes that you like, walk around in them a little then expect you to have made a final decision. The staff in most cases are very knowledgeable about the products that they are selling. For the semi-serious to serious runner, you know that you don’t turn up to these places in jeans and a shirt if you are looking to make a purchase that day. These retailers have treadmills in the store with cameras which let the store staff analyse the runners’ gait. This type of interaction and engagement in store has been taken to a greater level in the Nike innovation house in Shanghai. Customers can try on their shoes and compete to get to the top of the leader board in the store. Nike Innovation house is no longer a store, but a destination.

Online retailers have long since realised the benefits of having physical stores. This isn’t news anymore. Birchbox, an online retailer that sells beauty products using a subscription model, has taken their online experience and used some of the key elements in stores. Consumers have the best of both worlds, they can smell and test the products, something that is impossible online. When they have picked which products the like the best, they then create their box, in the same way that they do online. The interaction in this example is with the products and the staff members.

Interaction with staff can enhance the customer experience in many ways. Firstly, by having staff free to interact with customers they can ensure that customers are happy with their experience. Secondly, staff are the literal “face” of the business. They create the atmosphere which customers experience in store. The staff can also build relationships with customers with the freedom to interact with them. When people say relationships, the mind tends to wander to knowing names and kids’ birthdays, but relationships don’t need to be this.

 In the example of Birchbox, the relationship between staff and consumer may only last for the time in store. That can be enough to understand the needs and wants of the customer, what they like and don’t like and their budget. These are essential pieces of information that can help to sell. Moreover, this relationship is one that makes the customer feel valued and creates value for the business. 

For most businesses, understanding that interaction is key is not the problem. They understand. The problem is creating the time and opportunity to interact with their customers. Staff in many retail stores are under pressure to ensure that products are available, that queuing times are short and that when handling cash, it is accurate.