The furniture retail industry is always changing.  Furniture tastes change, as do buying habits.  For example, many people focus exclusively now on buying responsibly-sourced fabrics.  Some stores have a POS system and furniture point of sale software in place to help enhance their customers’ experiences.

In this quick guide, we will consider a few of the leading trends in our industry we are likely to expect by the end of the year.  What’s stimulating our customers in 2020?  What can we do to harness these trends?  Let’s take a look.

 An Increase in Loyalty

Despite global economics healing itself a little, people are still looking for bargains.  Therefore, furniture retail customers want to be rewarded for loyalty.  Even small businesses are expected to launch loyalty cards and to release deals and vouchers through email.  In 2020, these expectations are set to increase.

Therefore, take advantage.  Use a cloud-based POS, for example, to map customer behaviours.  You can then create unique deals and offers based on their precise buying patterns.  Show you care about customer loyalty.

Eco-Friendly Buying Habits

The last few years have shown we all need to think more carefully about the environment.  Plastic, in particular single-use material, has hit the headlines in the past few years.  It is slowly choking our oceans and causing widespread damage through landfill and elsewhere.

Therefore, more and more furniture customers want eco-friendly products.  They want to know that they are buying material which is free from anything likely to leak toxins into the planet.  Rethink your sourcing strategies and show your customers that you, too, are responsible.

 Ethical Buying Habits

Similarly to the above, more and more consumers are becoming aware of how their furniture is being made.  That means they want to know their sofas and chairs are ethically sourced.  Can you trace the origins of your furniture’s manufacture?

It may be time to think carefully about the furniture you purchase.  Can you be sure that manufacturers and labourers receive fair treatment?  You could use furniture point of sale software to track your sourcing too.

 Faster Checkouts with a Speedy POS System

On the shop floor, furniture customers in 2020 will expect a speedier process.  They want to be able to check a product online.  They want to see it in store.  Then, they want to checkout without having to queue.  You could achieve all of this through cloud-based POS.

With a leading POS system or point of sale approach, you could help to make the customer experience more efficient.  You could streamline communications between your team members.  You could also give more power to the customer, allowing them to browse through touch screens and interactive guides.

Conclusion

2020 will be a big year for furniture retail.  As consumers become more aware of what they are buying, retailers, too, need to demonstrate awareness of their stock and exercise responsibility for the experiences they provide.

It all starts with a leading POS system.  Ordorite’s furniture point of sale software will help you bring team members together, offer greater clarity to customers, and make experiences for everyone more efficient in-store.  Want to know more?  Take a look at Ordorite’s live demo here.

Without employee motivation, your retail business is going to suffer. While an income will be motivation enough for many people, there often needs to be more to get team members through the day. Are you rewarding your staff enough? Are you using furniture retail management software to help make their lives easier and work more efficient?

Employee motivation equals enhanced productivity. In 2020, there are more than a few new ways for you to start encouraging your team to do their best. Here’s a selection of ideas that apply to the furniture retail sector.

Encourage Recognition

Many employees feel let down if managers fail to recognise them for their efforts.  However, it shouldn’t just fall to management. In your retail store, you should encourage a supportive atmosphere.  Ensure that individual members of your team recognise the individual merits everyone brings to your operation.

From warehouse staff to furniture salespeople, everyone has a part to play.  Encouraging gratitude between staff will go a long way to motivate people.

Enhance Productivity with a point of sale

Furniture retail management software could have a long-lasting, positive effect on how your team operates. Consider the changes a smooth-running point of sale could bring to your shop floor.  If it’s easier for sales personnel to find products through a touch screen, for example, they will feel motivated to use it.

Enhancing technology, and making life easier for your staff, will steer them away from poor performance.  A great furniture store software will help them hit targets sooner and handle customer queries quicker.

Encourage Customer Feedback

As well as obtaining recognition from their fellow team members, employees should feel valued by their customers. A job well done is its own reward; however, knowing that you have made a positive change to someone’s day is a huge morale booster.

Using point of sale technology will encourage and incentivise customer feedback.  Deliver tailored comments and reports to your team. Show them how much of a difference they make on a regular basis.  This way, they will feel motivated to repeat such success.

Encourage Growth

Many people working in furniture retail may be happy to keep working at a specific level of responsibility.  However, to encourage the best out of your team, you must show openness for development.  That means showing your team that you care about their careers.

Set up development plans for your team. Track employee statistics through furniture store software. Talk regularly with your staff about their own individual goals. Are you doing enough for them?

By touching base with staff regularly, you can show them you care about their growth in your company.  In turn, this will encourage them to continue producing fantastic results.

Harnessing Motivation

Harnessing motivation in furniture retail is not always easy.  However, by rethinking some corporate strategies, and by using furniture store software, you could revolutionise the way your team members approach their work.

Ordorite’s leading furniture retail management software is available now for a free test drive.  Why not take a look and see how we can help to empower and inspire your team?  Click here for your free live demo.