The importance of a high-quality service and influence of well trained staff on the customer experience in duty free shops are among the highlights of the latest Duty Free World Council (DFWC) KPI Monitor.

The quarterly report for Q1 2019 reveals that service level has climbed to second place among all criteria measuring impact on the overall level of satisfaction among global duty free shoppers. Value for money remains the number one criterion for shopper satisfaction.

Produced by Swiss research and consultancy agency m1nd-set, the report was compiled through interviews with over 4,000 international travellers across all world regions in March.

KEY CONTRIBUTOR

Staff are not only a key contributor to the airport shopping experience in airports, but also influential in converting browsers into buyers, according to the report. On average, less than half of global shoppers (48%) interact with staff in airport shops.

Of those shoppers who do interact, 45% are positively influenced and purchase following the interaction. Europe sees the lowest level of staff interaction (40%), while engagement is highest in the Middle East and Africa.

Staff interaction is more influential among men than women, according to the KPI Monitor (48% versus 42%) as well as among millennials, compared to older generations, namely seniors (49% versus 39%).

Staff influence on the purchase decision is also greater among shoppers from the Middle East and Africa region. Categories benefitting the most from successful engagement between staff and shoppers are jewellery and watches (55%), fashion and accessories (50%) and beauty (48%).

The quarterly KPI Monitor also illustrates which aspects contribute to the overall perception of the duty free shopping experience. The perception that duty free provides a ‘truly different experience’ has consistently gained importance over the past few quarters and is among the top criteria.

According to DFWC and m1nd-set, the differentiation between duty free shopping and downtown, with new products, travel retail exclusives and the different experience is an area where staff can play a significant role in influencing the decision to purchase and increasing basket size.

STAFF TRAINING

Frank O’Connell, DFWC President commented: “Given that less than half of shoppers globally interact with staff in duty free shops, there is huge potential for the industry to make a concerted effort to train staff to be more proactive in engaging with shoppers and positively influence the sale.

“Complementing brand and product knowledge, sales staff understanding the specific needs of travelling consumers better and having the knowledge and skills to cater to those needs is key.

“The opportunity to raise standards in our industry has prompted the DFWC to create the DFWC Academy dedicated to offering accredited, online training programmes created uniquely for people working in, or planning to join, our industry.

“Our first course — a Certificate in Duty Free and Travel Retail, will start in September this year with student enrolment already underway. I would encourage all industry stakeholders to get in touch with us about this exciting initiative.”

Peter Mohn, CEO & Owner at m1nd-set (left) added: “While online information sources and digital tools are indispensable to reach shoppers in travel retail, personal interactions are still fundamental in the marketing mix. The sales team is a major player alongside all other communications touch points.

“Travel generates experiences and stories and travel retail needs to be more focused on the stories behind the brands and their heritage. This, together with knowledge on new product launches and unique offerings in the store, should be a key area on which brands and retailers should focus in their staff training and employee engagement programmes. Engaged employees will thirst for more stories to seduce the shopper.”

He concluded: “It is also vital to ensure monitoring and evaluation processes are well established with staff. Well trained, engaged staff are vital, not only for their potential to impact sales, but also because of their influence on the shoppers’ overall perception of the airport shopping experience and long-term customer loyalty.”