You see the perfect gift for your spouse through the window of an antique shop. So, you enter and look around for someone to ring up the sale, but the store is empty. The owner seems to have disappeared.
You would think that this little shop would have a bell on the door or some other entrance alert to let them know that they have a customer. It's a lose-lose situation. You can 't get your spouse the perfect gift, and the shop owner has lost a sale.
An entry chime is an inexpensive way to ensure a good customer experience, as well as helping you protect your business assets. Knowing when a customer has entered allows you or your employees the freedom to move about while still remaining prepared to serve customers.
This is just one of the many reasons to buy an entry alert. Let's explore some more.
Why Your Business Needs a Door Entry Alert
With so many buying options online, the one advantage that brick and mortar business has is face-to-face customer service.
Over 62 percent of buyers want to check out products physically before buying them. There's a glut of internet bargains, but what your customer is seeking is a personalized shopping experience.
Millennial shoppers, in particular, are seeking new experiences more often than new products. It pays to elevate that experience to keep them coming back.
Buyers that come to your shop want assistance — they don't want to search the FAQ. An entrance alert chime will help you offer that service with your smile already in place.
Benefits of an Entrance Alert
When you have an entrance alert chime, you'll enjoy a few key benefits:
- Alerts you to customers when you're away from the front of the store
- Permits you to get more done while the chime minds the door
- Allows you to schedule fewer works while covering more of the shop
- Provides an extra layer of security by alerting you to people entering the store
- Announces the arrival of delivery people to make re-stocking more efficient
And that's not all!
Multiple Applications for a Door Entry Alert
Most of us are familiar with the sound of a bell when we open and enter a shop, but there are other business uses for an entrance alarm on your door.
Those who work in child care may be concerned with both entry and exit traffic. An entry chime will do more than alert you to strangers entering your daycare. It can also alert you if a child exits the doors.
Adding an entrance alert will give you and the parents an extra feeling of security.
Other home-based businesses, such as hairdressers, notaries, and even homesteaders can use a door alert chime to let them know when customers need service.
Entrance Alert Types
You'll find a wide range of door chimes to meet any business owner's needs. But what kind will work best for your applications? Let's take a look at several common types used in business.
Door Chimes for Open Doors
Door chimes that make a sound when a door is opened are the most common type of entrance alert device used. There are three different activation types.
Motion Detector Alerts
These devices use motion detectors to "see" when someone has entered your business. One of the key advantages is that they can often alert you while the person is still approaching the door. This gives you some extra time to greet them.
Another advantage with motion detector alerts is that you can also use them for restricted areas. If you have no way to secure a back office or warehouse area, a motion detector alert will provide extra eyes to make sure customers don't get lost while browsing.
Beam Door Alarms
Beam door alarms work well for businesses that work with the doors open, such as in a shopping mall. They're also suitable for workspaces with no doors, such as kiosks or food stalls.
You place each station across the open door, and they pass an infrared beam between them. The chime sounds when the customer passes through the two stations and breaks the IR beam.
Contact Sensor Door Alerts
Contact sensor door alerts mount on doors in two pieces, with one on the door frame and the other on the door. The two parts connect with magnetic contacts. When the connection is broken by the door opening, it sounds the chime or bell.
All the Bells and Whistles
Before deciding which type of door alert you need, consider some of the options available.
Remote Chimes
A door entry alert that chimes away from the door is an excellent choice if you need to alert employees at a distance or behind closed doors. If your front desk associates often need to work in the warehouse, for example, you can install a remote chime door alert there.
Wireless Chimes
Wireless chimes have the benefit of being easier to install but may be more expensive and require battery changes. You may find them easier to relocate, however, if you change the layout of your business.
Wired Alerts
Wire door alarms are an affordable choice and may be your best option if you're replacing an older system.
Programmable Chimes
With digital technology at the forefront of business security technology, you'll find that many entrance alarm models offer a selection of tones to choose from. While this seems like a minor consideration, the right chime for your door can add charm to the customer experience.
Some even offer seasonal tunes for the holidays to put customers in a buying mood.
Elevating Your Company Style
Good customer relations is all about a good customer experience. Sometimes, the ability to talk to a digital device and reorder soap lacks charm. Despite the vast number of buying options online, people still want to enjoy a shopping experience in a brick and mortar store.
Part of that experience is courteous service from attentive business owners prepared to deliver their best.
Don't be the one that lost the sale. Check out the affordable and easy-to-install entrance alert devices from Reliable Chimes & Security.