What is store patrol? Its importance, how to patrol stores, checklist, etc. [with checklist]
table of contents
What is a store tour? The manager of a retail store or facility will visit the store and carry out in-store promotions and maintenance of the sales floor. This is what I mean.
In this article, we will introduce the overview of the store tour, How to properly and efficiently patrol stores, and what to check when patrolling We will explain in detail.
In the second half of the article, we will introduce some recommended services for visiting stores, so please take a look.
What is a store tour?
First, we will introduce the basic overview and importance of store visits.
Store Tour Overview
Store patrol = A task performed by store managers, area managers, franchise owners, and other store management personnel to visit actual stores in order to increase sales.
You will actually visit retail stores, carry out sales promotions and maintenance of the sales floor, and check the product displays, sales activities, and store atmosphere.
The main purpose of visiting stores is to check the availability of products and services.
Why is store touring important?
The store tour is Important for identifying areas for improvement in store operations It is believed that...
By visiting stores, we can understand the store's situation and sales, and thereby discover problems and issues.
Additionally, by embodying the latest customer needs identified on the ground through in-store promotions, it is believed that sales structures can be strengthened, ultimately leading to increased sales.
Methods and effects of store visits
We will introduce the key points for effectively touring stores and the benefits of touring stores.
Key points for visiting stores
In order to aim to increase sales through store visits, it is necessary to accurately understand the current state of the store and sales floor. To do so, be sure to keep the following points in mind.
- Increase the frequency of patrols
- Ensure maximum "stay time" in the store
By actually touring the store, you can understand the situation on the sales floor from a consumer's perspective.
By identifying problems and areas for improvement with sales methods and sales areas and sharing them with management headquarters and sales staff, you will be able to promote your sales promotion activities in a more appropriate manner.
The effect of visiting stores
There are three benefits to visiting stores:
- Increased sales
- Improved customer satisfaction
- Improved store operations
Let's take a closer look at each point.
Increased sales
By eliminating out-of-stock and excess inventory and displaying products appropriately, you can ultimately expect to see increased sales.
This is because it is believed that creating an environment that makes it easier for customers to shop will increase their desire to purchase.
Furthermore, by exchanging opinions with store staff during store tours, new ideas from an on-site perspective may be born.
In this way, store visits have the potential to create new sales promotion methods.
Improved customer satisfaction
By visiting stores and understanding customer needs, you will be able to provide products and services that meet those needs.
In order to increase customer satisfaction, it is not enough to conduct marketing from the unique perspective of management and sales staff; it is also necessary to take on the perspective of the customers who visit the store.
By changing your sales methods and considering new products that customers want, you will ultimately be able to improve customer satisfaction.
Improved store operations
Even if a store or facility wants to increase sales, if there are issues or areas for improvement in the actual sales methods or store management methods, it could lead to a decrease in sales rather than an increase.
In order to optimize store operations, it is important to conduct store patrols at the appropriate frequency and in the appropriate manner. In order to identify problems and issues, it is important to actually visit the store and observe the actual situation in detail, and improve store operations.
Check items during patrol and what to do after patrol
We will explain in detail the points you should check when touring stores and what you should do after the tour.
Main check items and template for patrol
Here are some key points to check when touring the store.
<Download the store patrol checklist templatehere>
[Check item 1] Store exterior
The appearance and exterior of your store is important to attract potential customers who have never visited your store before. First, make sure the exterior of your store is kept clean.
The following are the exterior and exterior features of a store that will make customers want to enter.
- It has a clean feel
- The exterior and facade match the concept of the store.
- Price range information is provided
If the posters or signs around your store are damaged or defective, you need to take action immediately. Make sure to clean them regularly and keep the environment clean at all times, which will help attract more customers.
[Check item 2] Inside the store
Another point to check is whether the store is kept clean. When checking the state of the store, pay attention to the following points.
- Are the shelves clean?
- Is the air conditioning dirty?
- Is the light off?
- Is there enough space at the store entrance and a clear path for customers to move around?
- Is the entire store well-cleaned?
In addition to checking the small details of the store, you should also check the overall atmosphere of the store, the appearance, greetings, and customer service attitude of the staff who will actually be serving customers.
[Check item 3] Product
When touring stores, an important thing to check is how the products are sold. Check the sales floor and see what condition the products are in.
- Are the products neatly displayed?
- Are POP and price cards properly placed?
Check the product display status and whether there are any missing items or incorrect price tags.
[Check item 4] Customer needs
In order to increase sales, it is also important to check which products are selling well and which services have a good reputation for each store. Accurately understanding customer needs and introducing the most suitable products and services will lead to increased customer purchasing motivation and customer satisfaction.
What to do after visiting the stores
After touring stores, it is important to make sure to use the results of the store tour in future sales activities.
It is no exaggeration to say that the data obtained from visiting stores is essential for running a business.
Valuable data and information will simply go to waste if it is not utilized.
In order to meet customer expectations, it is important to properly manage customer information, or what is known as "customer management."
To manage your customers, follow these steps:
- Information gathering
- information management
- information analysis
- Information Utilization
Customer management is not just about collecting information; it also requires properly managing, analyzing, and utilizing the data obtained.
If you find any problems or issues, think about how to improve them.
In order to promote sales efficiently, it is important to properly understand customer needs and thoroughly manage customers.
Let's aim to increase sales by conducting appropriate store visits.
Store patrols are tasks performed by store managers who actually visit the store to increase sales.
We check whether sales activities in stores are being carried out appropriately and work to optimize product displays and POP displays.
Using the information introduced in this article as a reference, you can increase customer satisfaction and boost sales by conducting store visits in the appropriate manner.
In order to solve problems and issues that arise in stores and facilities that are discovered during store visits, it is necessary to properly manage on-site reports. For this purpose, we recommend using i-Reporter.
"i-Reporter" is the top-selling paperless solution for on-site documentation in Japan.
[Improving work accuracy and productivity in the retail industry]
Make store operations smoother with the on-site document digitization solution "i-Reporter"!
- You can check inventory and sales floor information for each store in real time.
・Convert paper documents to electronic documents → Reduce reporting lags and transcription errors
・Comprehensive digitalization of production management, inspection, patrol, and inventory management
→Download the materials for the on-site document digitization solution "i-Reporter"Here
This is the editorial department of the Field Document Research Institute!
This blog is operated by CIMTOPS Corporation., which develops and sells the field document electronic solution "i-Reporter."
We will be delivering industry information on a regular basis to help those of you working hard to promote digital transformation in the workplace, so please take a look!
