The Best Ways To Reduce Customer Stress

If someone is stressed while they are shopping, it can hinder the impact of sales. Why? To be frank, in order to make a purchase, a customer has to be in the right mindset, and if there is a certain aspect of the store that is “off,” then the purchases are more likely to fall through.

Research has found that in supermarkets the leading causes of stress for customers are waiting in line, interacting with salespeople, and finding the best price for a product. Some of these are unavoidable, so how can you, as a manager, reduce stress in your customers? Read on to find out more.

Play The Right Music

It stands to reason that a person is more likely to feel stressed and angry if there is heavy metal music playing in the background, or if the music is so loud that they have to shout. So, when it comes to choosing the right type of licensed music for business, you need to choose music that is light, happy, bouncy, and familiar. This will help to keep your customers in a positive mindset and will help them to enjoy their time in your store.

Keep Employees Away From The Checkout Lines

Unless the employees are helping with self-service tills or they are serving on the tills, try to keep them away from the tills altogether. Why? Well, because it can seem that the staff member is just standing around, which can frustrate customers if they are in a long queue. Make sure your staff are trained to only go to these areas when needed, such as when doing a price check or when opening up a new checkout line.

No Phones!

It screams poor sales etiquette when a member of staff is on their phone and seemingly standing around doing nothing. This does not bode well if the customers are waiting and your staff are all staring at their smartphones. Have a rule that smartphones (or any kind of phones) are not allowed on the shop floor. That way, your staff can stay focused on their jobs and will be more approachable to customers.

Keep The Store Clear

It sounds obvious, but nobody wants to shop in a store that is cluttered or messy. Granted, during deliveries, this may be a bit harder, but your team should be sure to move the clothes, books, food, or other items out of the way of the customers. Clutter in the aisles can cause stress among customers, especially if they are trying to get to an item that has been blocked by boxes.

Provide Clear Signs

Most people who are new to a store will want to know where an item is. As such, they will usually look to the ceiling to spot how the aisles are marked.

You should always make sure that the aisles are clearly marked and that there is a clear price tag on, under, or next to every item. Remember earlier when it was noted that a source of stress was not being able to find the right price? Well, it can cause customers to abandon a purchase, meaning they leave the store unhappy, and you don’t make a sale.