A Dying Breed?

“Retail stores in malls are a thing of the past.”

 “Online shopping is the only way I shop.”

“Customer service is dead.”

Have you heard those statements before? I have. All the time. The truth of the matter is, in my opinion, all these statements are completely not true. Now you can read articles and listen to podcasts about all these statements. Pundits out there analyzing businesses by looking at quarterly reports, company stocks and reading consumer polls and reviews, but what about those of us still working in stores? Don’t we have a say?

Sure, physical stores are not doing the business they used to, but malls are not ghost towns like many would have you believe. So how do we change the dynamic? How do we get the consumer to see that shopping in brick and mortar is still a great option? It’s not a dying breed?

People. Yep, it’s time to invest back in people. 

Retail isn’t dead it’s just…changing.  it’s time for companies to re-embrace what’s needed. One-on-one customer attention. I feel like companies have forgotten what that entails. People NEED people. A real person greeting you when you walk in (with a sincerity). Someone available to answer any questions you may have (with a smile). A person to give truthful advice on a product you may want to try (without a hidden agenda). 

I know…we live in a society of get-it-now-when-you-want-it-by-reading-a-review-at-a-time-that-is-convenient-to-you-mentality. Shop from a couch. Shop from work. Shop out walking the dog from your phone. It is so easy to add product to your virtual shopping cart, hit buy and wait for the magical box to be waiting for you at your door. Shouldn’t there be more? 

I am so tired of people asking, “why should I shop in stores?” or “why would you shop in a store?” Like it’s disgusting or appalling to even think about doing so. Personally, there is nothing I love more than walking into a store and walking through a shopping center. Physical stores are more than just a store, to me, they are an atmosphere. They emit a feeling when you walk in. An emotion you can’t get scrolling through countless pages on a website. Each brand resonates its own identity because each brand has its own personality. You can’t perceive that looking at a computer screen. Sure, there is beautiful imagery and tons of product knowledge, but wouldn’t you like to experience it in person to see if that image is reality?

Of course, retail has its hurdles. I am not naïve. Your vision of a positive experience quickly fizzles because there is no one working when you walk in. Payroll has been cut so badly, that stores are literally void of people. Payroll is expensive. A huge percentage of operating costs. It is easy to save money if you have less people working on the sales floor. However, hiring less people equals longer hours for employees. They end up doing twice as much and burning out twice as fast causing turnover. This reality equates to companies starting from scratch by recruiting, onboarding and training new replacements. This raises a company’s cost per hire. So, are they really saving money if managers are constantly hiring new people to fill the void? The answer is no. 

Retailers need to embrace this part of their successful past. It makes sense. Especially to managers working the sales floor who love their jobs and the brand they work for. Stores are still relevant in this new world of technology. Physical stores with amazing customer service is something online giants like Amazon can’t compete with. Managers who have more time doing what they are supposed to be doing (developing people and sales generation) instead of starting over with new teams all the time will bring stronger sales results. A stores reputation can only be respectable if its people are there to reflect it.