Did you know that nearly half of visitors (47%) would leave a venue or not return to it (48%) if hygiene measures weren’t adequate?* Consumer perspectives and habits have changed dramatically as a result of the pandemic.
Consumers are now hyper-aware of their surroundings, especially in public. They are searching for physical affirmations to reassure themselves that they’re safe. If they don’t feel like they’re in a safe environment, chances are they’ll react in a negative way — by leaving.
How can businesses meet new customer expectations?
People now expect businesses to make their safety a priority. This requires a holistic and all-encompassing approach.
While businesses worldwide have implemented measures to reassure customers that their premises are safe – from hand hygiene solutions, surface sanitization and disinfection of premises – there’s one technique that many businesses are overlooking or haven’t yet considered. Scent can immediately reassure people and encourage them to stay on your premises for longer while increasing their level of comfort in their surroundings.
The leading role of smell
Before we can speak, walk, fully hear or see, we can smell. It’s the first sense that babies develop and the only sense that connects to the limbic system – a set of structures in our brain that deals with memories and emotions.
Do you know that feeling when you encounter a specific smell and are suddenly transported back to a particular time or experience? It’s the limbic system in action. Our sense of smell is closely connected to our emotions. Since we can’t turn it off, it’s constantly feeding signals to the brain.
So, when we encounter a fresh and clean smell, the limbic system sparks into action, sends signals to our brain and evokes a feeling of safety and reassurance.
Using the psychology of scent to reassure customers
About 75% of emotions generated daily are due to smell, which highlights the intricate link between the smells we encounter and how we feel.
Research by the Sense of Smell Instituteⁱ shows that “visual recall of images sinks to about 50% after only three months. Yet, humans can recall smells with 65% accuracy after an entire year.” This underscores the lasting impression that the scent of your premises can have on your customers relative to what they see. Visual indicators have short-term effects compared to scents and must be reinforced with a positive scent to envelop your customers in what they consider to be a reassuring and safe environment.
Businesses can use such findings to help create a sense of safety on their premises. By adopting a fresh and clean scent for your premises, you can influence how your customers feel and help them feel protected.
ⁱThe Sense of Smell Institute is the research and education division of The Fragrance Foundation, the non-profit, educational arm of the global fragrance industry.
A preference for fresh and clean smells
Firmenich, a leading fragrance house, conducted extensive research in 11 countries to investigate how the pandemic affected the fragrances that individuals are buying and are most drawn to. They found that:
‘Today, there is a true consumer shift towards fragrances that evoke feelings of safety, cleanliness, and serenity.’
This corroborates our renewed need to feel protected as a result of the pandemic and implies that scents can be used to help produce an atmosphere of safety.
How to achieve the all-important fresh and clean smell on your premises?
Ready to create a multisensory experience with the world leaders in scenting?
Discover the perfect, fresh-smelling fragrance for your premises and help create a reassuring environment for your customers.
Our collection of fresh-smelling fragrances includes the following:
Fresh Clean – Clean and healthy feeling with a fresh air accord, sweet orange, white floral and eucalyptus notes
Fresh Clean – Clean and healthy feeling with a fresh air accord, sweet orange, white floral and eucalyptus notes
Cucumber Mint – Airy and friendly feeling with watery, mint and dewy floral notes
Mandarin Zest – Energising and uplifting with tangy citrus, fresh fruity and green watery notes
Mint Energy – Healthy and safe feeling with mint, pine, citrus and peppermint notes
So, dive in and choose the perfect match for your unique environment.
*Initial Hygiene, The Global Hygiene Reset report, 2021
ⁱThe Sense of Smell Institute is the research and education division of The Fragrance Foundation, the non-profit, educational arm of the global fragrance industry.
