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Where should I put the service counter in the new store?
It’s a question that’s often asked when retailers or rental store owners consider opening a new store or remodeling an older one. There isn’t one perfect location or solution that fits all store needs, because not all stores are shaped the same. There may be multiple entrances from the parking lot or yard, or other physical factors to consider and work around.
Cost may be an issue, too, but if it is, don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish. For example, moving electrical hookups or phone locations is not a major expense. If something else is in the way of the ideal location, consider moving it.
If your cash wrap/service counter isn’t perfect, now is the time to add to it or replace it completely. As you’ll see, it will be money well invested.
Retail studies outside of the rental industry have been performed on this topic for many years, and some interesting conclusions have been reached. High costs make it extremely important for you to give it careful consideration.
In this article we will attempt to touch upon the most important locations for the counter, based on a typical store. We’ll then compare the options.
Changing the counter location may be the best decision you can make. Customers will give you credit for making positive improvements and making it more convenient for them. Employees may have become complacent in the old surroundings and may very likely welcome a change, too.
Stores that are rectangular usually have the service counter up front, near the entrance on the left or right. The counter may even be in the window. But in most stores the front location and the window are major display areas — merchandise statement opportunities. Plus, service counter areas aren’t always the neatest; certainly not what you want your customers to see when they first walk in.
I suggest you move the counter area down the wall about 16 or 20 feet — that will put it in the best location and allow for display areas and better merchandising opportunities in the front. Display the items a customer needs for the job along with the rental equipment — items that customer is probably going to buy somewhere else. Why send the customer down the street to the big box or hardware store? Why leave money on the table?
Moreover, display those items that your store may not be known for, items that customers may not associate with your store — I’ll say more about that in a moment.
Another advantage of this counter location is that there is a better chance of impulse buys if customers see those items next to the counter while they’re waiting.
There are three general rules of thumb regarding customer behavior when they enter a store. The first is that the majority of customers generally go to the right side first. Because of this, you may want to locate the counter on the left side, allowing even more exposure to products up front. Then when
the customer gets to the counter, you have all those impulse items waiting. Traffic patterns can build the order.
The second rule of thumb says that the counter should be in the back of the store. The theory is that this forces the customer to walk past merchandise displays and see more products on the way.
The third rule is that whatever products or services your store is already well-known for selling should be in the back of the store. That way, you reserve that highly visible space up front for those items that represent new sales opportunities. This practice has always been proven to increase sales for the retailer, so there’s every reason to think it would work well in a rental store.
Another typical customer behavior is an initial reluctance to go directly to the counter. Customers want to be able to walk in casually and not be immediately approached by a salesperson. They like to choose their own path through the store. There’s a theory that you are more service-oriented when the customer is given immediate exposure to the counter, but in that case you are probably missing add-on sales.
An alternate location in a larger store might be directly in the middle of the store. But in the tool and equipment rental businesses, this is probably a mistake, in my opinion. Being located next to or directly adjacent to a service or storage area is important in this kind of business. It allows employees to quickly conduct business at the counter and work with the equipment when a customer needs instruction or help. Centrally located counters don’t offer this advantage.
In some previous store layout projects we’ve done, the service counter was in the back left or right corner or along the back wall, again directly next to the warehouse and service areas. Offices were on the opposite side. In each situation, the important factor was that the counter was visible from the main entrance.
Don’t make it hard for customers to find the service counter. For example, certain heights may actually work against you if they hide the counter. When planning a store, be aware of the sight lines from the entrance to the counter and from the counter to the entrance. Go look for yourself — see your store the way the customer sees it.
Cash wrap/service counter areas can be identified with overhead or wall-mounted signage, increased lighting and brighter finishes or the use of color on the counters (see box).
Some stores also have a center drive aisle, giving additional opportunities for endcap merchandising. These also highlight the path to the counter. For added emphasis, you can make the center aisle a different color of flooring material. But that will be the subject of another article.
To test some of these points, again, pretend you’re a customer and enter your store, just like the customer does. Then ask yourself these questions:
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What do I see when I am entering the store?
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Can I quickly locate the cash wrap/service counter?
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Is it easy to get to the counter from the front door?
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Is the counter neat, tidy and
organized — or is it messy and unappealing?
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Does the counter location negatively affect potential sales?
The right answers to these questions can have a major impact on your store. If you find that there is an opportunity to make improvements, by all means do it.
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