Shopping malls are the center of every business community. Not only the locals but also the tourists tend to visit shopping malls to satisfy their hunger for the latest fashion trends. This means shopping malls need to be eye-catching and attract customers. This is not possible if your shopping mall is outdated while the competitors are ahead in the aesthetics and practicality game. Here are some important shopping mall and retail remodel tips that you must follow.
Plan Your Budget And Stick To It
The first thing you are going to do when it comes to remodeling a shopping mall is plan your budget. Keep in mind that renovating a shopping mall is quite expensive but necessary especially if your competitors are already a step ahead. The primary purpose of planning a budget is to stick to the practicality.
You might have come across many shopping malls that are full of luxury but hardly offer any features or convenience. At first glance, visiting such shopping malls or photos or videos might be feasible but such malls are not sustainable in the long run. One of the downsides to luxuries is that one gets bored at the same pace as one gets excited in the first place.
The same is the case with shopping malls. You might have a huge hype in the beginning but once people start to realize the place is only trouble, you are going to permanently lose the business. However, if the shopping mall meets most if not all needs and preferences of the customers, it is going to be a success in the long run.
Set Clear Goals
Next comes setting clear goals. You might think that setting up a budget is the same as setting goals but it is not. Planning your budget is all about where your money will go. Whereas, goals mean the objectives that you wish to achieve within a certain period and consider other limitations.
Furthermore, what you have in mind should be laid down on a piece of paper. You might also have multiple ideas in your head but not all are going to work. To set goals, you should begin with setting up your priorities. This will make it easier for you and also for the entire team.
Communicating your goals with the contractor and all the others involved will help them understand what you need and desire. This way, everyone is going to work in the same direction.
Ask For Employee Input
One common mistake shopping mall owners tend to make is ignoring employee input. As a shopping mall owner, you might have no idea of how valuable and significant employee input can be. While input from the customers is one thing, the shopping mall itself should be easy to work with when it comes to employees.
If you are concerned about the convenience of the customers but not of the employees, you should start giving it some attention. This is because if the shopping mall is too difficult for the employees to handle, nobody is going to stick around for long.
Plus, you do not have to go from desk to desk asking for employee input, you can simply have them email or fill out a questionnaire that will allow them to pen their opinions and feedback. Another reason is that employees know secrets to your shopping mall that normal people do not.
This means they are more in touch with the gaps and flaws and might also know things you are not aware of. That said, asking for employee input is asking your employees to let go of the hidden spots.
Save Costs By Planning Infrastructure Changes
While remodeling or renovating your shopping mall, you will come across many processes or tasks that will cost you additional money. However, if you were to plan them, you might be able to save a sufficient amount of money. For instance, while tearing down the walls or floors, you might have to move some things around
But, if you were to move these things before the process was about to take place, it might be a lot easier and cost-effective for you. The reason is that moving heavy equipment to the spot where the walls or floors are being replaced is going to require additional labor, which is going to cost more money.
Develop A Realistic Timeline
A shopping mall remolding is very different from a condo renovation. The biggest complication while renovating a shopping mall is keeping it running and attending to the customers. It is not common for shopping to remain open while remodeling is taking place. That said, you would need to decide whether you are going to keep some areas open or the entire mall closed.
Generally, the remodeling takes relatively less time with the shopping mall closed. This is because the team does not have to worry about the customers or people inside the mall. Being extra careful and cautious takes up a lot of time because then, apart from remodeling, the safety of the people around will be critical as well. So, if possible, try to set realistic goals and shut down the mall. Better to be safe than sorry.
Interview Several Contractors
This is a vital part of the entire remodeling process. Your choice of who should remodel your retail store or shopping mall will determine how the entire remodeling process is going to take place. While choosing a retail store contractor DC, you should opt for a company that specializes in commercial and retail renovations.
Speak with several companies, interview them, and go through their portfolios. Plus, ask around your community of retail store owners and managers for references so that you have at least three excellent options in hand.
An experienced renovation company will always provide suggestions on how things could be made better. This way, you will know what option to go for.
And you already know that taking a look at the portfolio of the company is very important. It gives you a glimpse into what kind of work the company has done and how well they did it. So, you must have your team view the portfolio of contractors and companies.
Communication Is Key
Finally, once the remodeling process has commenced, you should keep an eye on and communicate with the team to ensure everything is going in the right direction. Keep in mind that such renovation projects can be both mentally and physically draining, which means it could be sometimes difficult to focus and some mistakes could be made. Therefore, you need to be a bit flexible as well.
Keeping in contact with the team is going to ensure that you are aware of all the events taking place including the unexpected situations. If you can’t visit the place during the remodel, ask someone to make periodic visits on your behalf.
Conclusion
Remodeling a shopping mall is surely not an easy process. However, you can make it easy by following the tips mentioned above. Always take your time and plan things through. For this, you will need the expertise of various professionals from designing to building. So, choose a commercial remodeling McLean contractor who knows what you want and how to get it done.
