Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
Your industry news - first
The original and best - for over 20 years!
We strongly recommend viewing Cleanzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.
Useful tips for creating a sales-focused showroom
While a great deal of emphasis today is on e-commerce websites, distributors should not forget the importance of having an attractive retail showroom. "Especially when it comes to cleaning equipment... Many cleaning contractors prefer not to purchase online but instead like to touch and feel machines before they select them," says Leah Waldrop, of supply chain optimisation consultancy Afflink. "Walk-in traffic is likely to remain a big part of your businesses marketing model."
Because of its importance, Leah suggests the following tips for creating an effective sales-focused distributor showroom:
Know your customers: If the walk-in customers are mainly contract cleaners, the equipment and cleaning supplies they most often select, such as floor machines, should be the first products they see. However, if they are facilities managers or hotel administrators, you might want to have vacuum cleaners made for the hospitality industry front and centre
Separate the needs from the wants: A 'best practice' in showroom merchandising is to have customer 'wants' in the front of the house and customer 'needs' behind the counter. The customer may have come in for something they need, but walking through the showroom, they might fall in love with something they want.
Organise by product, not manufacturer: Do not segment products by manufacturer, putting machines from one manufacturer in one area and machines from another in another area. It is better to put products together by type so buyers can make side-by-side comparisons and get to know the products more thoroughly.
Turn the salesroom into a video classroom: Many distributors now have a collection of training videos; have two or three training videos playing on different monitors in the showroom. Not only does this turn the showroom into an educational experience, but customers might decide to select something they see demonstrated in the video.
Check the cleanliness of your salesroom: Many people judge the quality of a facility by how well it is cleaned and maintained. This is even more important for a jansan distributor. A high-gloss floor shine and super clean counters and displays can really say a lot about your business and your showroom.
Afflink is a global leader in supply chain optimisation, providing clients with innovative process and procurement solutions to drive efficiencies in today's leading businesses. The eLev8 system helps organisations uncover never-before-seen opportunities and quantify their value to enhance their overall image, promote a healthy workplace, decrease total costs, increase productivity, and satisfy 'green' and sustainability objectives.
T: 800.222.5521
W: www.afflink.com
18th December 2014