In-Store Audits can tell you what’s happening ‘on the ground’, give you fresh insight and provide internal and external accountability. Do you have marketing agreements in place and the need to be accountable to brands? Do you contract out or run in-store demos? How do you know they’re being properly executed? Do you spend money for displays? How can you be certain they’re being properly set up and stocked? How do you know they’re being set up at every location? In-store audits put metrics in place so you can measure productivity, hold partners accountable and gather the information that can improve your business and your bottom line.

When productivity is measured, performance increases. Imagine a baseball game where whether or not you touched second base on your way around the field was no big deal and no one kept track of the score. It turns into a big ‘who cares’ with no standards, no edge, zero excitement and eventually no interest. Living up to expectations, having a score card and expecting constant improvement is what makes the game exciting, keeps teams winning and the fans buying tickets. That goes in business too.

Audits Give You Answers

When a national food brand contracted for in-store sampling of their product, their Director of Shopper Insights needed to be sure that every employee engaged in the process was properly trained and was sampling all of the products, rather than just some of them. They wanted to know if employees were encouraging shopper interaction with their product samples. Once they gathered that information, they wanted to know what factors generated sales post-sample. Working with an experienced audit provider helped them understand what information would lead to understanding their shoppers, employees and purchasing patterns. The provider told them how much data was needed for statistical relevance. Knowing exactly what was happening ‘on the ground’ resulted in better trained personnel, more accountability to brands and a deeper understanding of exactly what motivated purchases.

Experts Make Your Job Easier

A national book retailer contracted with brands to place in-store displays and add give-aways to shopping bags with every purchase. Their Director of Learning and Development knew it wasn’t happening 100% of the time. The retailer needed internal accountability to be certain training and implementation were being carried out properly and needed external accountability to report actions and results to the brands. In-store audits told them quickly where their problems were and they found simple solutions that enabled them to increase productivity a full 30% in just three months. Using an experienced provider meant they had expert advice on exactly how to create an effective in-store audit program including how many stores and how often. They had help analyzing the data and learning how to use it to implement changes.

Audits Help You Sleep Better at Night

Measuring results ensures that what needs to be done is; regularly, consistently and effectively. When people are held accountable, they perform better. When they clearly understand what is expected them, they’re more likely to meet expectations more consistently. The best way to know exactly what’s occurring every day in your stores is to have someone there observing exactly what’s happening and why. Without direct observation it’s impossible to know which piece of the equation might be weak. Having an expert provider means you’re assured 100% objectivity – you get the unvarnished truth. You’ll be able to keep your marketing agreements on track and provide accountability. You’ll know exactly what’s happening with promotional displays and you’ll learn how policies and procedures are being carried out. Having standards in place but not measuring their effectiveness is like buying all the ingredients for a great meal and not following a recipe, just hoping putting them all in the pot will result in something delicious. It could happen, but it’s highly unlikely.

Get Results You Can Act on Quickly

Once your provider helps you determine exactly what you need to know, their carefully trained representatives will get information you can use right away. Good data conveyed correctly is easy to understand and experienced providers deliver your data immediately in a way that’s meaningful and useable to you. You should be able to see results broken down by store, geographic location and/or by issue or concern. Creating metrics and implementing audits will give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing what’s required and expected is being carried out, regularly and efficiently.

PSFK advised retailers to think of all store locations as flagship stores and treat customer visits as opportunities to tell the story of the brand. Disney stores executed this idea by remodeling their stores to become a family entertainment hub where kids can interact and play with the merchandise. The New England grocery chain Stew Leonard’s organized their stores by stocking merchandise needed for certain occasions together, such as a barbecue or birthday party. Customers then buy items for an experience and possibly pick up a few things they didn’t think they needed, like birthday hats or corn on the cob holders. Stew Leonard’s stores also have animatronic farm animals kids can play with, flat screens that show feeds of their own daily cows and bountiful offerings of free samples.

The important thing to remember is that the store is an extension of the brand and thus offers a unique opportunity to create an immersive brand experience for the consumer. Apple stores capitalize on this opportunity by keeping their design aesthetic relevant to their brand and by offering product testing stations and optional education classes for customers. Lance Armstrong’s bike shop in Austin, Tex., is meant to be a hub for the diverse biking community, whether people are beginners or almost pros. Mellow Johnny’s even has a coffee shop, showers and bike storage systems to encourage more people to join the cycling community. By creating a community and not just a software store or cycling shop, Apple and Mellow Johnny’s make a visit to their stores not just another stop on an errand run but a place to spend an afternoon browsing and talking with others.

It’s also important to note that the stories retailers tell require scene changes. In order to keep up with shopping and cultural trends, retailers need to continually reinvent the shopping experience, all the while still keeping the brand’s core message and story in mind. Product displays and merchandise need to be rearranged and transformed to give the customer a reason to return.