Customer In! Time Out?

Retail giants like Croma, FabIndia, Starbucks, and Burger King now keep their stores open 24 hours at Mumbai’s International Airport. This is because customers need to buy and consume at times that are convenient for them. The same need exists in High Street retail markets, where consumers seek flexibility in shopping hours.

With regulations now allowing stores to remain open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, brands have the opportunity to:

• Enhance customer service
• Increase sales
• Boost overall consumption

Contrary to popular belief, the most valuable asset for a customer is not money—it’s time. Consider a hair-cutting salon that opens at 10 AM and closes at 11 PM. An early riser, rushing to the office, still misses the opportunity for a haircut on a weekday. He then has to use his precious weekend for grooming.

If the salon had extended morning hours, just like its late-night operations, customers would be better served. As a result, both sales and consumption would increase.

A common concern is that long working hours may not be sustainable for employees. However, industries such as manufacturing, hospitality, and healthcare successfully implement shift systems. A similar approach can be adopted in retail and service sectors to ensure:

• Continuous customer service
• Balanced workload for employees
• Increased brand profitability

Successful brands prioritize consumer convenience through extended operating hours:

• D-Mart operates from 7 AM to 11 PM, showcasing strong topline and bottom-line growth.
• Starbucks remains open from 7 AM to 12:30 AM, demonstrating robust expansion, increasing popularity, and customer loyalty.
• McDonald’s opens at 7 AM and closes at 12 midnight, experiencing rapid growth in the West and South, becoming a favorite among Indian consumers for breakfast and other meals.
• Wellness Forever chain of chemists and lifestyle stores, with 150 outlets, operates 24/7, winning consumer trust and achieving strong revenue growth.
• The Orchid Hotel at Mumbai Domestic Airport offers a Midnight Dream Buffet from 12 AM to 3 AM, creating a profitable, vibrant experience that delights customers.

If you want customers to visit your store, avoid saying “time out.” Consumers appreciate brands that respect their time and offer convenient purchasing opportunities.

Despite the emergence of modern retail stores in India over the past 20 years, the traditional kirana stores and pan-beedi shops continue to thrive. One key reason is their early opening and late closing hours, making them highly accessible and convenient for consumers.

1. Best Option: Stores should remain open 24 hours, similar to those at international airports, ensuring that consumers never face the inconvenience of “time out.”
2. Second-Best Option: Stores should open early and close late, catering to a broader customer base and maximizing sales potential.

Many garment stores, including FabIndia, Raymond, and Nalli, operate from 10:30 AM to 9:30 PM. Similarly, consumer durables and electronics stores such as Croma, Samsonite, and Vijay Sales open at 10 AM or 11 AM and close by 9:30-10 PM.

There is an opportunity for all these brands to grow by adjusting their timings.

• Years ago, car showrooms used to close on Sundays, losing 52 days of potential sales. Now, they remain open on Sundays, allowing consumers greater access and avoiding the “time out” signal.
• A large garment chain store with an in-house café failed because the café opened at 11 AM—far too late for morning coffee drinkers. Eventually, the café closed down.

Some brands extend their hours for customer convenience and experience higher sales. For example:

• Monginis extended its cake shop hours near railway stations in Mumbai, leading to increased sales.
• Westside in R-City Mall stays open 30 minutes longer than other stores, gaining an additional advantage in sales.
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Consumer stores are experiencing rapid growth and will continue to do so if they allow customers the flexibility to shop. Consumers want to buy—retailers just need to give them the time to do so. So, instead of telling them, “It’s time out,” let them in and watch your sales rise.