Page 56 - European Cruise Traveller Duty & Tax Free Retail

Industry Insider:
European Cruise Duty & Tax Free Retail 2016
5.2.2.2 STEADY PERFORMERS: STAFF SERVICE
Staff service is an area perceived much more positively at on- board stores than at on-land stores among European cruise travellers. As a result, although we categorise staff service as a ‘steady performer’, at on-board stores it should really be considered a strong performing area.
STAFF SERVICE PRIORITY RATING: 2
Staff service has the potential to have a major impact on
shopper behaviour; staff should therefore be considered a key aspect of the retail offering with direct contact with shoppers encouraged at all times.
Store operators should therefore look to ensure staff availability through ensuring tasks such as restocking are conducted at off-peak times. Operators should also ensure staff have the product knowledge required to assist shoppers with product information and recommendations wherever possible. This could be driven through training ‘category experts’, particularly in high value areas, such as ‘Watch Experts’, ‘Jewellery Experts’, or ‘Whisky & Cognac Experts’. ‘Location Experts’, particularly at on-land stores, also have the potential to assist in location specific offerings and souvenirs.
Dedicated on-board staff could also be trained in the full retail offering to provide an experienced personal shopper service, with the staff member capable of recommending and providing background information on the full on-board offer.
ON-BOARD...
Italian and male shoppers are most positive; British shoppers possess weaker perceptions of this area. Travellers in Northern Europe /the Nordic region are also more positive.
Figure 17: Staff Service Perceptions: On- board
ON-LAND...
Perceptions are weakest among German travellers; strongest among Italians. Younger shoppers and those travelling in Northern Europe also more positive.
Figure 18: Staff Service Perceptions: On- land
Excellent Very Good Good Poor/Very/Extremely Poor
16% 24%
50% 10%
Excellent Very Good Good Poor/Very/Extremely Poor
23%
38%
35% 4%
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