UK customer experience expert Phil Corke is in Australia to tell us how to sell—and how to shop. Corke is a member of the British innovation agency ?What If! and has the task of identifying how stores can enhance customer experiences to lift sales.
Corke says shopping should not be a chore but, apart from renovating shopfronts, retailers haven’t done much to improve customer experiences. “Retailers haven’t caught up with the customers’ needs. They have the design, the shops look great, but they haven’t thought through the experience the shopper should have,” he notes. “People have different needs and purposes, so it’s not only about navigation, but also inspiration.”
He wants retailers to take the focus away from design and instead attract customers through other senses, like taste and feel. And, he says, it doesn’t have to cost a lot. “Redesigning a store can be expensive, but giving an experience can be a matter of small things, re-engineering what is already there.”
