When you think of grounds maintenance or painting you are probably, as a retail store manager or owner, thinking of tasks and projects that you can put off until they absolutely have to be done. However, research in the last few years is now clearly showing that the visual appeal of your retail store, strictly from the exterior, is a huge factor in getting customers through the door.
What The Study Says About Building Maintenance
In a study completed by Morpace Omnibus, an international group that publishes consumer and industry trends, customers had some very definite opinions about how they wanted a retail store to look before they would consider doing business in the store.
However, and perhaps surprisingly, the information was not just specifically geared towards retail store appearance. Customers used the same type of criteria when they were asked about the importance of a filling station, a restaurant, a boutique, or a large chain store.
The number that managers need to remember is that only 4% of people indicated that the exterior appearance of the store had no impact on their decision to actually shop at or go into the building. A staggering 66% said that the external appearance was somewhat important and even more importantly 30% said it was extremely important. This means that if your store or building is not up to par you are potentially losing a minimum of 30% of your target consumer before they even park and walk to the door.
Shop Or Not?
On the flip side, about 52% of survey participants said they would not go into a business that looked dirty from the outside. Another 11% said they would not go into a business that looked outdated or old. About 40% said they would not go into a business that didn’t look like a place they would normally shop.
What does this all mean for managers and owners? Pressure washing, painting, gardening, grounds, and building maintenance is a big percentage of your business’s overall ability to attract new customers. If you don’t like what you see when you look through the eyes of a newcomer, perhaps it is time to create a more attractive proposition for those you seek to delight?