COMMERCIAL ALUMINIUM SHOPFRONTS

It was good news for the retail sector when the government announced non-essential businesses in England could reopen again on 15th June. After three months of COVID-19 lockdown, when only shops deemed essential such as food stores and pharmacies could trade, the news couldn't have come too soon. Now the challenge for the high streets is determining how to bring in a new form of normality to help people continue with their shopping, while remaining safe from the coronavirus. Explaining the new shopping rules to customers is something every retailer should be doing. © Michele Ursi / Adobe Stock   Eye-catching shopfronts With limited numbers being allowed in each shop, businesses must make arrangements for the queues which are inevitably forming outside. Queuing should always be done outside the shop, or in a car park - never inside the premises. The retailer must manage the queues to minimise the risks and ensure social distancing is maintained. This enables traders to use their shopfront to the best advantage, while people are waiting to come inside: as well as displaying the safety rules, promotions and new products can also be advertised in an eye-catching way. After all, you have a captive audience in the queue - a group of people who aren't simply passing-by - there's no better time to wow them with your great deals! Before customers enter the premises, the retailer must publicise the new rules and safety measures using signs, posters and visual aids, such as diagrams and graphics, on their shop windows and doors. This gives customers plenty of advance warning before they go into the store, so they know how to behave.   One-way systems One-way systems and barriers will help avoid customers clustering together – in a similar way that supermarkets and other essential retailers have been operating over the past three months, since the lockdown began. Shoppers should be encouraged to pay using cashless methods when possible.   Sanitising thoroughly Many retailers are providing sanitising stations for people as they enter, asking customers to cleanse their hands on entering the store. Staff must wash their hands more frequently and the shop's surfaces must be cleaned more often throughout the day with a detergent. Particular attention should be paid to areas that are touched more often such as handrails, lift buttons, doorknobs, employees' hand-held scanning devices, trolleys, baskets and facilities in staff areas, such as coffee machines. Shops should install screens and barriers to protect staff and customers wherever necessary. Notices must be put in place advising customers to touch only items that they intend to buy, rather than browsing and picking things up, before putting them back on the shelf.   Automatic door solution To control the number of people that enter the building at any one time, the FlowControl system automatically integrates with an automatic door to effectively enable social distancing - no one need touch anything! This new product was introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has been highly effective in Europe for some time.   Shopping alone Many stores operate a policy whereby only one person per household is permitted to enter at any one time, unless they're a parent with young children or a carer who is escorting the person they are looking after. Staff should be deployed outside to look for groups of people in the queue and ask if it's necessary for them to all enter the store together. This policy has been operated by supermarkets and must be adopted by other retailers. Shopping centres will also have to regulate the number of shoppers allowed in, as well as managing queuing at individual stores. Any shop which has five employees or more must complete a written risk assessment, with details of its plans to keep customers and staff safe.   Returning goods In the case of clothes shops, they must close the fitting rooms, so customers won't be able to try on clothes. A number of stores have amended their returns policy accordingly, giving people a longer period of time to return unwanted goods. Although returned goods can be accepted, the retailer must store them away from sale for 72 hours before they can be put out on the shop floor again. The store should provide a designated area where employees can speak to customers requiring assistance, while maintaining social distancing measures. With all the new safety measures put in place, signage to advise customers is increasingly important, as is having well-trained employees who know the rules and how to operate them. Any business that doesn't provide enough information for customers, or who breaks the rules, can be hit with a hefty fine, or even be closed down by the local authority if they persistently flout the law.   A warm and informed welcome Make sure your customers are well-informed by having a high-quality shopfront entrance, which displays the relevant signage of the regulations. Commercial Aluminium Shopfronts provides quality entrances including glass shopfronts, aluminium doors, glazed shopfronts, curtain walling systems and more. Want to hit the ground running? Contact us today!  

While retailers will agree that repeat customers are their bread and butter, never overlook the importance of attracting new customers to help boost your chances of profitability. There are many ways of encouraging customers to enter your store. Apart from having great stock and marketing it properly, making your shop more welcoming is the key to turning passers-by into customers. Both the exterior and interior of your premises are equally important: the exterior will attract people inside and the interior will make them want to stay and browse. When you're up against stiff competition from your high street rivals and online stores, you need to be the best. © Odua Images / Shutterstock.com   First impressions First impressions count and passers-by will make a snap decision within seven seconds, according to psychological research. Even though you can take in only a tiny snippet of information in seven seconds, your brain assumes this represents an accurate picture. If someone approaching your store thinks it looks old-fashioned, unwelcoming, or dingy, this first impression may make them walk on by - especially if they're dazzled by the shopfront of your rival three doors down. Keep your windows and doors in pristine condition, with a style in keeping with your brand, to make a good first impression. Displays, signs and devices should make potential customers stop and come in by grabbing their attention – make sure you keep them clean. This will help you attract more foot traffic.   Signage and window display Create a memorable, monumental sign that makes you stand out from the competition. Having a compelling sign above clean, sharp windows and masonry will attract more passers-by. Some retailers choose digital signage that can change throughout the day. The other important exterior feature is your window display, which should be truly show-stopping. Tell a story well and intrigue passers-by, so they want to come in and see more. A great window display encourages impulse purchases. An example of this is a summer window display at a jewellery store, featuring a miniature scene in a park. On one end of an oak bench, a young man gets down on bended knee to propose to his fiancée. At the other end, an elderly woman admires her own engagement and wedding rings. The simple sign says, "A diamond is forever."   Front of store Once you've attracted the attention of potential customers, don't waste the opportunity to show them your best products right away. Often, the foyer area at the front of the shop can be a wasted opportunity. Why not have a stunning display of your top products to grab everyone’s attention literally as they walk through the door? Let people know they are entering a stylish store. Have an interior designer add some style. Whether you're looking for a relaxed ambience, an edgy feel, or a family-friendly environment, ensure your shop floor reflects this. Setting the tone at the entrance lets customers know exactly what to expect from the moment they walk in.   Don't look shabby! Make a statement with wallpaper and carpeting that complement each other. If your carpet in the entrance is starting to look worn, replace it before it makes your shop look tatty. An exterior and entrance that look shabby can never be welcoming and are likely to make customers think your products will be of the same low standard. On a similar note, if you're a clothing retailer, never put last season's merchandise on rails outside, with "sale" stickers on. Rather than attracting customers with your cheap prices, it smacks of tat that you're representing your business with the old stock that nobody wanted in the first place. Always remember there's more to it than just getting more customers through the door. Your conversion rate of changing browsers to buyers is very important, so create an exceptional shopper experience with the best customer service to this end. When you want to create a welcoming shopfront for your business, Commercial Aluminium Shopfronts can help. We supply and install high-quality shopfront windows for retail premises of all sizes. Please contact us for details.

Fenestration plays an important role and it can make a positive impact in commercial terms. Architecture is an art form and fenestration is the design and arrangement of windows and other glazed elements that often provide a major focal point. It can be the most notable feature of the building, covering a range of design elements including windows, glazed doors and glass curtain walls, to name but a few.   Energy-efficient design When considering the design of a new building, architects take into account the energy performance of fenestration products to decide on the best option. There are three main areas: the U-value of the glazing, the Visible Light Transmission and the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient. The U-value measures how well heat is transferred by the whole window or door, including the frame, glass and sash, either into or out of the property. The VLT refers to the measurable amount of daylight that travels through the glazing system. The SHGC is the amount of solar radiation that passes through a window, skylight or door, either directly or absorbed and released as heat inside the building. Glazing with a lower SHGC transmits less solar heat and has a greater shading ability.   Key factors These three factors are taken into account to enhance the comfort, energy-performance and liveability of the building. The U-value is particularly relevant, as it rates the insulation provided by the glazing. The lower the U-value, the better the glass protects the property from heat transfer. The SHGC rating is measured between zero and one. A zero rating means no solar heat will pass through the window. A one rating means 100% of the available solar heat will pass through the glass. Using rated fenestration products can boost the energy performance of your building, achieving optimum savings and greater comfort. Climate influences the choice of fenestration products. When the building is in a hot climate, the window ratings are aimed at reducing heat gain indoors. In mixed climates, the fenestration needs to balance heat gain against heat loss. In cold climates, it must reduce heat loss from the building.   Aesthetic appeal Retail and other commercial premises need an attractive shopfront that appeals to customers, turning passers-by into shoppers. Fenestration plays a key role in the premises' appearance. Curved or frameless shopfronts are available, with double or single-glazed windows and automatic doors, low energy-rated glass systems, curtain walling and self-cleaning units for ease of maintenance. Advances in technology have enabled the manufacture of low-rated glass systems, such as Planitherm, energy-efficient triple glazing, Argon and Krypton gas-filled units, manual attack-resistant laminated glass and Superspacer units with warm-edge technology. Different strengths of glass are available for enhanced security applications, including bomb-resistant filming, bullet-resistant glass and bonded aluminium glazing for doors.   Innovative designs Curtain walling can create a feeling of space, offering a seamless link with the outside world, while maintaining the security and safety of the premises. Using clever glazing to allow daylight into the premises will save energy in terms of lightning, so the design and placing of the fenestration are vital to help save money on bills. A well-designed shopfront can also enhance the ventilation of the interior of the building. Controlling the airflow depends on the physical characteristics of the design. Modern designs increase employee and customer comfort, ensuring the interior is warm in winter, but never hot and stuffy, even in the warmer summer weather.   Impressive entrance Constructing aesthetically-pleasing and energy-efficient fenestration designs does not necessarily provide huge challenges for the modern architect. Fenestration greatly impacts the functionality of a building, so it follows that a shop-keeper whose premises are on a busy high street will probably want a shopfront with plenty of windows to show off their products and attract passers-by. There needs to be an impressive entrance, but not one so elaborate that it flouts every rule in terms of energy efficiency. It pays dividends to ask an expert for advice on balancing the two requirements. A professional can advise on whether a glass shopfront or a glazed shopfront is best for your personal needs. By designing and installing the optimum shopfront and fenestration solution for your requirements, Commercial Aluminium Shopfronts can help your commercial building to thrive. Give us a call today on 0116 4640124, email sales@cas-shopfronts.co.uk, or use our handy online contact form to find out more.