The concept of homeware has recently started breaking through the retail industry. A report by Furniture Insights found that from 2016 to February 2017, furniture orders have increased by 4%.

Such numbers show that the homeware industry has only just begun its growth; though slow, it can quite easily be the beginning of a tidal wave of influence. If you happen to own a homeware business, then you might be dancing with joy – however, one question might come to your mind: are you attracting customers to your own shop?

If you find yourself hesitating at the statement, then you’ve come to the right place. Let’s discuss ways you can make sure your customers keep coming back for more:

Share value through your services:

In competitive industries, the best thing you can do to stand out is to offer services that your customer can’t find in any other place. It should not only set you apart from the crowd but should also add a personal touch to the shopping experience. For that, you really need to think outside the box – lucky for you, we have some ideas to share:

Consulting sessions – You can approach people who are purchasing/renting their own houses for the first time and help them make the right purchases. Even a smile can create a lasting impression on confused customers.

Events – Hold seminars about things like interior design, where people can gather at your shop and mingle for a bit. Though they might not buy something right away, they will consider your store in a comfortable light. In the long run, this kind of exposure will undoubtedly drive sales.

Serve food and drinks – refurbishing an entire house is no easy task. It can take hours for some people, so why not make the job a little easy by handing out refreshments? If anything, it will give people enough reason to come by your store more often.

Grab technology by the horns

And we really mean it. With how modern our current era has become, there is no reason to fight the flow of technology. In fact, you can use this technology to improve your work functions, and hence give customers a memorable experience.

These days, all-in-one solutions like Oscar POS (point of sale) system enhance customer experience through its integrated CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software. Such homeware POS software allows you to make customer profiles based on their contact information and transaction history – things you can use to make offers targeted to their interests.

On top of that, things like fast payment procedures, discounts – even the experience of using a tablet instead of a clunky cash register! – creates a great, lasting impression of your store.

Get customer feedback actively

Apart from having their requirements fulfilled, customers also often like it when their voices are being heard. So make sure you pay close attention to that by getting their feedback whenever you can.

This can be done either by asking customers about their experience up front, or conduct post-interaction surveys via email or outbound calls; Oscar POS allows you to channel customer feedback in real-time with the help of personalised questionnaires and a built-in loyalty program.

While it’s good to focus only on positive feedback, always make sure you also take note of any negative remarks – what did the customers exactly experience? Did they feel something inconsistent in the way they had been treated? Most importantly: is there anyway your shop can improve?

Improve the purchasing path

Although online stores have changed the way people can buy and sell, the furniture buying process is still lengthy. Instead of complicating the entire process with even more automation, you can use this technology to your advantage – by adding a personal flair to the overall experience.

Personalisation helps you target people at all the right times, helping to ease the purchasing process for the customer. The best example of this are browsing tips and cart abandonment emails; this kind of behavioural approach entices shoppers back before they can leave your shop for good.

Such emails can be used to regain your customers’ attraction in a multitude of ways – user-generated content, product guides, important “how-to”s and more.

Improving customer experience is a constant process – it takes time and effort. But that does not mean it is not possible; in fact, a consistently positive and dynamic experience is what every customer wants. If you’ve hit that nail accurately, then you’ve reached the ultimate homeware jackpot.