In today’s digital age, consumers are typically more informed than salespeople. How do we combat this?

The days when in-store shoppers were a captive audience are long gone. With the introduction of smartphone technology, the majority of consumers now have a wealth of information at their fingertips, enabling them to compare prices and read user reviews anytime, anywhere.

As a result, high street retailers must embrace technological developments, says Simon Kendrew, digital director at advertising agency Gratterpalm. “Retailers need to understand that technology is a friend,” he adds, and they need to “digitise their sales forces”.

Options include equipping shopfloor staff with iPads so they can also compare competitor prices, and match the cost there and then. Or, retailers could provide information points in store, where online content such as reviews and ratings can be easily accessed by shoppers. “By doing this, not only are retailers helping customers make an informed purchasing decision, they are also demonstrating transparency and building trust with their customers,” says Kendrew.

If retailers are able to introduce free Wi-Fi, it’s a good idea to create a personalised log-in screen, promoting the most relevant in-store offers on that day for that customer. They can also incentivise customers through social media check-in sites such as Facebook Places and Foursquare, by rewarding them with loyalty points.

“Digital innovations can be used to amplify the in-store experience,” says Kendrew. Adding QR codes to point-of-sale can help retailers communicate product information to customers, or retailers could experiment using augmented reality to bring products to life.