Get the basics right first
Creating a space that people want to spend time in goes far beyond having a strong retail line-up. If the fundamentals of customer comfort and basic functionality are lacking, guests will subconsciously “vote with their feet” and choose to go elsewhere.
Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a reference, it’s clear that while people ultimately seek emotional connection, comfort, and belonging, these can only be achieved if their basic needs are met first.
By “basics,” we mean both physical and functional comfort: safe and convenient parking, appropriate lighting, comfortable temperatures, clean and accessible toilets, clear signage, and welcoming places to sit and relax or meet friends. If these are overlooked—even subtly—it can leave a negative impression. People might not be able to pinpoint what’s wrong, but they’ll simply choose a different destination next time.
For most people, deciding how to spend their leisure time is an emotional choice. Whether it’s a walk in the park, catching up with friends, or going shopping, the common desire is to relax and enjoy the experience. Shopping isn’t always about buying—it’s often about browsing, socialising, and taking in the atmosphere. Unfortunately, these moments of enjoyment are too often undermined by basic shortcomings: confusing wayfinding, dingy corridors, unpleasant stairwells, insufficient seating, and lacklustre welfare facilities. Any one of these can leave a lasting, negative impression.
Getting the basics right is not just about clean floors and good maintenance. It’s about stepping into the customer’s shoes and seeing the space through their eyes. Like a cluttered hallway at home that you eventually stop noticing, long-standing issues in a shopping centre can become invisible to managers and owners. But for visitors, those details matter.
Just as a quick tidy and a fresh coat of paint can reinvigorate a home, small, well-thought-out changes can transform how a shopping centre feels. That’s where good design comes in. Designers bring a fresh perspective and the creative skills to spot opportunities, visualise ideas, and guide the improvements through to completion.
At Beyond London, we’ve spent 20 years delivering exactly these kinds of improvements—high-impact, low-cost solutions that meaningfully enhance the guest experience. Our strategic, interior, and graphic design teams work together to identify and unlock value in every corner of a space.
A great starting point is our Customer Experience Audit Tool – the CX Analyser Audit. This tool evaluates every customer touchpoint through independent research, on-site assessments, client team interviews, and a thorough review of existing data. We also benchmark your centre against both local and national competitors—offering context, not just numbers.
The results are presented in a clear, visual PDF report, with illustrated recommendations to show exactly how suggested changes can be brought to life.
Ultimately, getting the basics right lays the foundation for everything else. A well-considered, consistently pleasant customer journey encourages people to stay longer, return more often, and spend more. It improves feedback scores, increases footfall, and drives real value for both visitors and retailers.
