A positive customer experience is essential for the growth of a business. While many factors influence comfort levels, including but not limited to convenience, service quality, and sensory experience. Speaking of which, how warm or cold a retail store is impacts customers’ spending habits, maintaining and even increasing sales. It might seem hard to believe that something as trivial as ambient temperature affects a store’s bottom line, but it’s true. Exposure to warm temperatures drastically increases levels of consumption, not counting the amount spent on each item. On the other hand, if the retail store is too cold, shoppers won’t spend too much time browsing items and will leave sooner than planned, which hurts sales and your business’ revenues.
What’s The Acceptable Temperature for A Retail Store?
It’s recommended to keep your building’s ambient temperature between 20-22 degrees Celsius. More than half of people prefer to shop in brick-and-mortar stores despite the increase in mobile and online shopping, so it’s crucial to make sure you’re providing the most welcoming experience. In the summer, when outdoor temperatures are higher, you may want to keep the temperature in your retail store around 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. In winter, when it’s freezing cold, you’ll want to keep your building around 22 to 23 degrees Celsius. Attention must be paid to the fact that there are more factors to consider as far as retail environment temperature is concerned.
Not too hot, not too cold. So, what’s the ideal ambient temperature? You’ll be disappointed to find out there’s no magical thermostat setting. While it’s important for staff members to be comfortable, you should always put the customer first. Some buildings lower their ambient temperature in the summer because employees are dressed in high-waist long pants and button-down shirts. If someone walks into the store wearing summer attire, the air conditioning can lead to problems, such as headaches. As they’re uncomfortable, shoppers will be less likely to examine the store’s merchandise, even if they have the intent to buy. A business is only as successful as the productivity of its workforce, so you can’t expect team members to do their jobs if it’s freezing or boiling hot.
What you sell will ultimately dictate the ambient temperature in your retail store. For instance, if you run a supermarket with fresh produce (fruits and vegetables), you need a low temperature of about 0-12 degrees Celsius. Even dry goods need to be stored at specific temperatures, although they’re not as strict as they’re for frozen and refrigerated goods. The temperatures should be below 29 degrees Celsius. If your retail shop doesn’t need low temperatures, it’s advisable to keep the place comfortably warm to be more desirable to customers. Customers should come and ask for help. A huge part of your business should be around getting people off the street and into your store.
A Boiler Is the Best Option for A Retail Store with Many Rooms
The ambient temperature of the retail store is guaranteed by the HVAC unit, which maintains a comfortable climate. There are many types of HVAC systems available today, and the different designs and variables make it difficult to figure out which one is optimal for you. Here’s an idea: install a boiler. A boiler is conducive to very large spaces because it works more efficiently as opposed to other HVAC systems, using gas or oil as the fuel source and generating hot water or steam. The hot water or steam enters radiators that distribute the necessary heating to ensure your building is comfortable.
If the boiler stops working, or you’re concerned that it might, reach out to a heating engineer and don’t attempt to alter aspects inside the boiler yourself. Repairing a boiler takes time, and the time required to bring it back to its best condition depends on the extent of the problem. If you need to fix the unit in the middle of the cold weather, it’s a good idea to rent a mobile boiler, which substitutes the broken boiler system temporarily. Temporary boilers save valuable expense and time, as they can be easily moved between sites or projects. You have to be mindful of how long the boiler has been in place and remember that the local government bodies may stipulate alternate periods and/or permissions.
Getting back to the topic, your choice of commercial boiler must balance several factors, including the expenses incurred during installation, durability, the expenses incurred from the normal running of the business, and efficiency. Over the life of the HVAC system, the return on the investment will be high, but you’ll have to address the upfront fees, and the actual ROI will depend on productivity. If properly maintained, the boiler will last between 10 and 15 years – sometimes even longer. A good heating engineer will know when the parts wear out and order them ahead of time. In case you didn’t already know, parts for the boiler can be hard to obtain. Even if you have to put the boiler out of action, you can rent a mobile boiler.
Always Make Sure Your Unit Is in Proper Working Condition
Given that the climate control system is one of the most significant parts of your retail store’s overall design, you must conduct regular maintenance. Being without heating and cooling, even if for one day, can be detrimental to your revenue, so take into account the possibility of a temporary boiler rental. Start your maintenance program with a deep clean. Eliminate anything in the room that isn’t necessary for boiler operation, clean the floor and vacuum the cobwebs, and don’t forget about those dusty corners. Equally important is to make sure the pipes are properly insulated at a safe temperature.
Finally, yet importantly, most boilers are unique, meaning they’re designed for specific applications. Maintenance and service must always be performed in accordance with the manufacturers’ recommendations. The outcome is a long and harmonious life. Besides the fact that they’re extremely versatile, mobile boilers can offer additional support. Not only can a temporary boiler handle difficult situations, but it can also step up and relieve the pressure put on your current system.
