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In Britain, there are certain times of year and certain situations where air conditioning is absolutely vital.

One commercial sector with a definite need for air conditioning is retail.

Retail shopping experience

If you want to create the ideal retail environment, you need to ensure you have a calm, welcoming atmosphere so that shoppers feel comfortable browsing without being distracted by extraneous things such as adverse temperature.

A hot and stuffy environment is the kiss of death for your store, no matter how good your products or customer service. If it’s hot and humid, your potential customers will be driven away in their droves in search of some fresh air and a cooling breeze.

For clothes shops, hot, sweaty changing rooms are fatal to your sales figures. These tiny enclosed spaces soon become sweaty and smelly which will either drive customers away or make them decide to purchase an item without trying it on first. The latter problem leads to an increase in returns, which is inconvenient for both shops and their customers, and can be seen as bad customer service.

Air conditioning for a hot summer’s day

In the summer, there is a definite need for air conditioning in shops to create an inviting space for shoppers, and a comfortable environment for staff to carry out their duties. So installing air conditioning is a great move for your profits.

Shoppers will feel comfortable browsing and feel more inclined to stay and purchase goods. But there are hidden benefits too. Firstly, by keeping shopping centres and stores cooler and more comfortable, it will entice people inside just to escape the stifling heat of a summer’s day. This is an ideal scenario to capture the impulsive shopper who may otherwise have walked past.

In such situations, it’s recommended that shops place displays of their best-selling items close to the doors to act as bait. The general rule of retail is once you have the customer through the door you are halfway to a sale, so investing in a good air conditioning system will be hugely beneficial to profits.

In addition, although most people think air conditioning is all about cooling, the air circulation created by the air conditioning also provides a significant health benefit by cleaning the air. The use of filters in air conditioning units greatly improves life for sufferers of hay fever or asthma.

Air conditioning in winter?

As strange as that statement may sound, an air conditioning unit can be a lifesaver during the winter months too, for a variety of reasons.

Winter in the UK can be freezing and undoubtedly shops will require adequate heating and ventilation to retain an inviting atmosphere for shoppers. Just as a hot, stuffy environment will drive potential customers away, the cold will have much the same effect and your staff won’t thank you either.

But there is such a thing as being too hot, even in winter. The number of customers in a store or shopping centre can have an adverse effect on the temperature so when the Christmas shopping period is in full swing or the post-Christmas sales are on, the heat can become unbearable. The combination of the hustle and bustle of shoppers with soaring temperatures is certain to cause tempers to fray, and staff and customers alike to feel irate and stressed. This calls for a temperature moderation, and is where good air conditioning can make the difference.

So an air conditioning unit isn’t just for the summer – it has its uses throughout the year.

Improve your sales

Sales is about much more than simply offering a better deal than your competitors. It’s about creating a welcoming environment for shoppers. Having the right temperature in your store will entice shoppers in and encourage them to stay and spend their money. It will also ensure they are welcomed by happy staff members, who are comfortable in their working environment.

By installing an air conditioning unit you can be confident of attaining a moderate temperature in summer and in winter, and you will be able to deal with any surprise fluctuations in temperatures such as those caused by Christmas and sales shoppers.

To learn more about the benefits of installing air conditioning in your retail property, contact Oxford Air Conditioning for a no-obligation chat with one of our experienced team.

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