Is it time to invest in an onsite survey? - Know Your Stores

How do you know when it’s time for an onsite survey? The answer is simple:

• What is the cost of not knowing what your stores need?
• Are you unnecessarily spending money on extra marketing materials?
• Are you spending too much on capital expense?
• Are you delaying rollouts?
• Is compliance suffering?

Without reliable data to help you understand, the answer is probably yes. You’re left to rely on labor-intensive and error-prone methods of gathering information. It probably involves sending documents and photos back and forth through email, waiting on responses and hoping you’re looking at the most recent draft – a process where information can slip through the cracks. The final result is a report that is often outdated by the time it hits your desk.

Now, what decisions could you make if you had all of the information you needed? Just imagine the potential of having an accurate database with timely, easily accessible and accurate information about your stores.

According to a 2011 study, 80% of marketing departments struggle with how to explain their campaign spending to top management. Think of how a survey could transform your decision-making ability, knowing you were enhancing marketing effectiveness and backing up insights with real time facts about every one of your stores.

The best part is that a survey will not only help marketing, but all of your above-store teams. Facilities will have access to information about equipment that could save money when it comes to what is still covered under warranties, what needs to be updated and what parts are in inventory. Operations departments can use the data to understand conditions in the field before they affect customer sales. And if you’ve recently acquired new stores or closed existing sites, a survey is imperative to know exactly what you’re working with.

The bottom line is, we want you to know your stores as well as your store managers do. A professional survey will provide you with a comprehensive retail profile of each site, complete with architectural details, store layouts, equipment specifications and warranty information, as well as digital site photos, in addition to whatever else you need to understand your stores.

Remember, big successes can often be attributed to the clarity and simplicity used in making all of your small, routine decisions.

Tip: How to make your survey even more successful
Consider how you want to access your information afterwards. How can a survey empower the decisions that are going to be critical to your success? It might be a good idea to a quick SWOT analysis: what are your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats? You’ll get the most value out of your survey by understanding how these four areas impact your decisions.

Learn More About AccuStore’s Professional Onsite Surveys