The Best Way To Educate Your Dispensary Customers

For those who have never tried cannabis, or others who are trying it again after quite some time, stepping into a dispensary can be an intimidating experience. Although visitors may have varied levels of understanding, one commonality they share is that they all expect to have their questions answered confidently and accurately by dispensary staff.

After all, 71% of current consumers and 69% of likely ones consider having staff with strong product knowledge the most critical feature of cannabis stores ⁽¹⁾.

This may feel like a big ask, but it’s absolutely worth fulfilling if you are a dispensary. The reality is that every second a customer spends confused or asking staff repetitive questions is time, money and credibility lost. Moreover, as a dispensary owner, there are very valid concerns about the accuracy and consistency of the information being shared if/when answers are being given to these cannabis consumers. Your staff are human, not robots — so, how can you ease the constant stress around what advice they are dolling out, without breaking your back… or the bank?

The good news is it doesn’t have to be challenging, time consuming or boring to provide this education. Retailers long ago discovered a solution that not only educates consumers, but transforms them into confident, repeat customers. Interactive digital experiences enable users to absorb information at their own pace, without any shame or awkwardness around what they want to learn about, through technology they are comfortable with. This can help reduce anxiety while simultaneously extending the customer service reach of your on-site staff who are busy with transactions and other operational duties.

A self-guided, educational exploration isn’t solely beneficial to novice consumers, either. For regular customers, consistent software updates incorporate the latest research, which means they can stay current with new information. Additionally, both groups can appreciate a more engaging experience, in the waiting room or when purchasing products, than browsing a littering of pamphlets or fiddling with their phones.

With Software-as-a-Service, a dispensary is able to proactively provide what consumers want to know now, and in the future. The direction and evolution of the cannabis industry will continue to trend toward carefully considering cannabinoid and terpene content, as well as the newest consumption methods and terminology. “The more educated a customer becomes about the variety of cannabis products and how those affect their body, the easier it is for them to order,” said Eva Safar, VP of Marketing at The Green Solution, when speaking with Adweek ⁽²⁾. So, once products are required to include this information, the consumer will be familiar and equipped with the information necessary to feel confident about their choices.

By providing up-to-date information and enhancing educational opportunities, dispensaries can engage directly with customers, which allows them to customize their buying experience and make more informed purchases. The current reality is that “… people have different preferences or might need more steps to understand what exactly it is that they want or need. This is where both education and customer service come together to provide a personalized experience for the consumer.” ⁽²⁾

Additionally, effective interactive software provides an intuitive user interface, remote management and robust tracking abilities. It also enables businesses to gather valuable data so they can tailor messaging based on the unique needs, activities and interests of their consumers. Now armed with insight on who’s engaging with what content, a dispensary can ensure its efforts are entirely maximized as a result of these actionable insights. Analytics allow owners and staff to track feedback, understand their deficiencies, gauge comfort levels of diverse cannabis consumers and be strategic with their upcoming plans.

As you may have guessed by now, Seed Technology is an in-dispensary platform that teaches dispensary visitors about cannabis. Through an interactive touch screen, Seed Technology allows customers to educate themselves on cannabis and find the types of products most applicable to their specific needs.

1. Deloitte 2018 Cannabis Report
2. Adweek - 3 Lessons Brands Can Learn From The Emerging Cannabis Industry

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Want to get in touch with Seed Technology? They can be reached via the following methods:

1. Website: http://www.getseed.io/
2. Email: info@getseed.io
3. Phone: 949-454-4620