The new retail environment is about customer experience. Customers do not come to your store to buy your products but the experience of buying the products.

How do you create such experience in your store?

In order to create the type of experience your customers crave, you need to ask and answer the following question.

An honest answer to the below question will determine your rate of customer satisfaction and ultimately the success of your store:

• As consumers demand for faster, quicker and better grows, is your retail store in the position to meet those demands?
• When do you open more checkout counters?
• How do you stop your snake queue curling into the aisles?
• Do self-service checkouts really work?
• Is it possible to eliminate queues?
• Who are your customers?
• Do you know your customer profile - their age and gender?
• What products or items first grabbed their attention as they enter your store?
• Which direction do your customers head first when they enter your store?
• How long do they spend in your store and in which areas of the store?
• What products do they look at?
• What products do they pick up and touch?
• How long do they interact with each product?
• Do they pay attention to your store signage?
• How is your staff performance?
• Are they implementing sales training?
• What are the best and worst departments for converting potential
  shoppers?
• Where and when are staff most required to interact with customers?
• When and where do queues build up?
• How fast is stock replenished?
• How is easy is it for customers to move round your store?
• How attractive are your window displays?
• What percentage of customers are looking at your visual displays?
• Where are your hot and cold spots?
• How easily can customers find what they want?
• Are products in the right place?