Is your business laid out in a logical manner? Is it easy for customers to find the products they are looking for? Are customers service areas well-posted and easy to find? Is it easy to find the front door when you are coming in, and is it easy to get out?
The layout of your business will have a major bearing on the over-all level of customer service. I am sure that you have experienced confusion when visiting some businesses. Everything is hard - from finding the business, to entering the premises, to finding what you are looking for, right through to finding someone to pay for the purchase. If it's too hard, customers will go elsewhere.
Often this happens on a psychological level, where the business just doesn't feel right. It may look fabulous, but it just doesn't work. There are many professionals who specialize in identifying the correct layout for a business to ensure that it is customer-friendly, but many businesses still get it wrong.
As with many customer service issues, one of the best ways to determine if your business is well laid out is to ask your customers and your staff. Your customers may be prepared to complete a short survey, or you could just ask them a few questions. Your staff are generally the ones who answer customers' queries during the working day. Are they being asked the same questions time and time again, and if they are, is it a layout issue?
As with many aspects of your working environment, your layout needs can gradually change. The layout that you have today may no longer be relevant for the types of customers you have and their shopping patterns. The types of products that you sell and the quantity of products sold may also no longer suit your business layout, requiring it to be revised.
Make it easy for your customers to shop at your business. Ask other people for their opinions on the layout of your business and be aware that changes will need to be made over time.