High tech the solution for the returning High Street
With Number 10 announcing that retailers can begin to re-open from June 15th, all eyes turn to the fortunes of the businesses which make up Britain’s high streets and bring colour to our communities. After three months of closure for most of these retailers, the news will provoke a mixture of reactions. Most are desperate to reopen their doors, but are also anxious about how to operate safely and how to entice customers back. Retailers now have less than a month to address these fears and prepare to fight for survival.
How we interact with the shops on our high streets will be irrevocably changed as we ease out of lockdown. And it will be the businesses who rise to the challenge of this new normal that will have a fighting chance. Without this, and without embracing the technology needed to make it happen, their shutters won’t be up for long. And we’ll lose a vital part of our British social fabric.
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The last few months have shone a stark spotlight on the operations who had previously neglected their digital infrastructure. Faced with the suddenness of lockdown, many weren’t in a position to maintain any revenue streams. Businesses who had invested in e-commerce operations were able to pivot quicker. Italian eatery Pizza Pilgrims quickly rolled out at home pizza making kits. Perky Blenders launched coffee subscriptions to enjoy at home. Remote phone charging company ChargedUp swiftly shifted manufacturing focus from their in-store charging portals to the creation of hand sanitiser stations.
Those who’d built brand capital via social media and HTML marketing could drum up support and direct their communities to online services. Popular gym chains FLY LDN and Barry’s Bootcamp have kept members engaged with Instagram Live workouts hosted by their regular instructors. Fashion brands have been dropping collections on social media. Others have taken advantage of new online directories such as MightySmall and YourLocalDelivered. Businesses who had voucher technology in place took advantage of an early surge in public sympathy as they were forced to close; converting solidarity into cash flow. London restaurant Barge East, for example, raised £50,000 by selling vouchers and tickets to post-lockdown events.
Brands who have held up tolerably well since March have their quick-thinking and tech to thanks, albeit with an added dose of luck. Many retailers simply weren’t in a position to pivot, nor cope with the added costs of shifting their presence online. But this next phase will see them forced to innovate if they want to survive.
Making customers feel safe will be the first hurdle. To do this, retailers should be exploring pre-booked shopping slots, contactless temperature checkers, screens to protect staff at the till, and one-way systems that enhance rather than ruin the customer experience. Retailers like Tiger and Ikea have long offered a ‘guided’ route around their stores that others can learn from.
Likewise, shops should be thinking creatively how to make queuing part of the experience. This might include strategically placed QR codes that waiting punters can scan to browse products and access discounts. Or it might be gamifying the wait via AR technology or branded quizzes – keeping families happy and evolving the transaction into a fuller experience. Queuing technology, which alerts customers to when they’re able to enter, could also relieve the tedium.
Even the most traditional businesses must now invest as much as they’re able into their e-commerce set-up. Websites should be refreshed and updated. Retailers should expedite the facilitation of online orders and home delivery. And click and collect should become a standard offering – something Lidl is now exploring, alongside smaller supermarket chain Booths.
Clothing retailers, many of whom will be forced to close changing rooms, must start thinking laterally around sizing via AI solutions, facilitated by tech start-ups such as FitAnalytics or Presize. Personal concierge services may also prove popular. Liaising with an experienced staff member online, who can point prospective customers in the direction of the right products before they click and collect in-store, will add value and protect brand loyalty.
All bricks and mortar ventures should also have an easy way of offering customers vouchers; a route through which loyal regulars and supportive communities can provide a crucial revenue stream; particularly vital if another lockdown is needed.
Socially-distanced, perspex segmented shopping doesn’t sound like most people’s idea of a perfect day out. Teams that therefore address this problem head on and look to add personal flourishes where possible will stand in better stead when it comes to retaining customer loyalty. Whether it’s handwritten thank-yous sent out with online orders, or a socially distanced welcome from the owner; reminding communities of the humans behind the shop fronts.
Whilst many of these changes will be here to stay, a huge swathe of our small and independent businesses won’t be. Retail is a brutal business that’s been getting harder for years. Many brands won’t have the cash reserves to go the distance or make the changes needed to survive. For those who do, getting creative and embracing digital will be vital. As will our role as consumers and our commitment to supporting our high streets however and whenever we can.