If a photo is worth a thousand words, can a video be priceless?
Beyond the memes and cat videos, even beyond the helpful “do it yourself” home repair videos found on YouTube, videos deliver serious value to consumers and businesses. This is hardly news. Videos are one of the most consumed forms of media already. Videos are the number one source of information for 66% of people, and on average a person watches 17 hours of online video content per week.
In this article, we explore the benefits of using videos in site visits to drive the execution of programs and standards in retail and hospitality.
1. Videos Show the context
On time, in full, at every site
Since videos combine sound, text, and movement, they provide more context and a more complete picture of your sites and facilities than photos alone.
Take merchandising for example. When stores are properly executing promotional displays, sales are seen to increase by up to 193%. Videos provide superior confirmation that displays, and signage are setup according to the plan, relative to one another and in the exact context of each point of sale.
Videos show programs in action, in the context of each site.
2. Videos capture the customer-experience
Video takes the perspective of the person standing there. It is an effective proxy for the customer experience. For example, a 20-second video can show what a customer sees as they walk into the store and give you a good idea of their first impressions even if you haven’t been to the store.
If you watch a 90 second video uploaded by the store or district manager, what are your impressions? Are you left thinking “This is a well managed store. Products are where they should be, displays look great, and associates are visible” or do you think “What a mess! Where are the associates, and why isn’t our new product promotion on display?”.
With videos, you can see if customers are being greeted, and actively engaged with sales staff. You can see the lightning and hear the music (is it too loud?). This provides customer-centric evidence on how the store operates from people to processes.
According to Conversational, 86% of customers would pay more for a better customer experience. While 73% of customers become loyal to a company based on friendly staff and great service. By ensuring the right people are in the right places in your stores, you can improve the overall customer experience.
3. Most People are Visual
With research indicating that nearly 90% of the information transmitted to the human brain is visual, it is not surprising that people tend to be more responsive to videos. Not only are people more responsive when it comes to videos, they also retain 95% of a video’s message compared to 10% when reading text.
Videos are perhaps the medium that most closely resemble the sensory experience we experience when we are on site, in terms of sights, motion, sounds and other sensory experiences. Videos feel natural because they are.
4. Videos save head office travel time and expenses
Don’t get in that car or jump in that plane yet! Sure, district managers are essential to the long-term health of a retail and hospitality business but that does not mean head office must be physically present at every site, every single day, to operate successfully. You can manage remotely by deploying effective video self-assessments by site management and franchisees.
District managers often spend hours stuck in traffic or traveling to remote locations. The time wasted stuck in a car simply isn’t productive. Instead of sending a district manager to the store, ask the store manager to conduct a self-assessment and instruct them to record and attach videos.
Not only will you get the information faster, but self assessments also save head office travel time and expenses. As a bonus, videos also lower your organization’s carbon footprint.
These time savings can allow district managers to go from managing 10 locations, to managing 15 locations. Alternatively, they can use the extra time to focus on coaching and the execution of programs at their existing locations.
5. Videos reduce risks and liabilities
We all know that for liability and risk-mitigation, documentation is essential. Health and safety and fire prevention come to mind. Videos, even self assessments, provide irrefutable evidence. Maybe you want to have a district manager conduct the inspection, then have head office verify remotely. It’s best to make sure that you’re covered and show that your stores are meeting the standards.
Taking notes, and adding photos are great but may not be enough. Adding supporting videos helps capture the processes that are in place. A short video can quickly show if fire exits are blocked, fire safety plan is posted, emergency exit signs are working, and smoke alarms are working. Get contextual evidence your need and reduce your exposure to risks and liabilities.
According to NSC, in 2021 there were 510,000 injuries in the US retail industry. Workplace injuries are something every company wants to avoid, as it opens the door to heavy fines and even litigation. The use of videos during health and safety inspections can be a pivotal tool to avoid these situations. The cost of non-compliance is 3.5 times higher than compliance. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure indeed.
You can also use videos to document the cleanliness, general organization, and inventory on the sales floor. When stores meet the brand standards, they’re more profitable, and perform better. Being able to quickly see and verify issues, is key to making sure performance is up to par.
Final Words
Videos are more effective than pictures and word alone. They provide more context, they reflect the customer experience and people respond well to them. What’s more, they save on travel time and expense and reduce risks and liabilities. Using a cloud-based inspection platform like Bindy is perfect for multi-unit retail and hospitality brands. To learn more, contact us today.
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