Retail developers face a variety of design and planning challenges.
Difficult site configurations and constraints. Site access. Car park optimisation. Design that must align with community needs. Dealing with councils. Shopper flow dynamics. And the pesky budget overrun. The list is extensive.
But here’s the good news.
When you partner with specialists, these challenges will morph into opportunities.
Your vision will be transformed into profitable development success stories. And you will create retail destinations, that will be loved by your community.
But what happens when you don’t collaborate with experts? Those who derail your projects. And turn your dreams into your nightmares. Because they’re not at the top of their architectural retail game.
Let’s explore the top 7 consequences.
Consequence 1. Poorly Designed and Planned Projects.
Imagine this.
A newly opened shopping centre. Looks stunning from the outside. But when you step one foot inside. The layout and shopper flow feels more like a labyrinth. Rather than a welcoming environment, aligned with your community needs.
A car park that’s choked because of poor flow design. And to add insult to injury, there’s not enough spaces to cater for parking demand.
Not exactly the vision you had in mind?
The outcome of poorly designed and planned projects will have 3 devasting consequences.
Expensive
Costs will blowout.
Missed targets
Development yield that will fall short of the target you set.
Lost revenue
A disappointed community, that will go elsewhere.
Here’s 7 key questions that you need to ask (and discuss at length) before you appoint an architectural retail planner for your projects.
How will you:
- Maximise development yield?
- Minimise cost overruns?
- Leverage your years of experience to benefit my specific type of retail developments?
- Navigate the challenges associated with difficult project sites?
- Help my team and I save time and worry less?
- Provide expert support and guidance to me, and my team?
- What specific experience do you have, that others don’t?
Specialists, at the top of their game, will give your projects that much needed boost in 5 important ways:
- Knowledge and skills that only comes with years of design and planning experience across the retail development spectrum
- Strategic vision
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving capability
- Technical know-how
There’s one thing for sure. You will need the support of experts to navigate all the nuances of the design and planning phases of your projects.
Consequence 2. Failure to Achieve Development Yield Targets.
It’s all about the bottom line. Every square foot of retail space represents potential revenue. Right?
Without experienced, expert guidance, you will miss out on key opportunities to optimise your yield.
Specialists know how to balance aesthetics with functionality. And push the boundaries of possibility. Which means every inch of space will contribute to your profit opportunity.
What happens when you don’t partner with a specialist? A retail development that looks the part. But has unprofitable dead zones planned into the design. Which means, your project will fall short of your yield target.
Consequence 3. Significant Project Cost Overruns.
From time to time, there’s no doubt you’ve experienced unexpected costs that’s had a niggly impact to your budget. Inevitable? The answer to that question is yes…and no.
You will probably think of many legitimate reasons why cost overruns happen. Conversely, you probably remember all too well, the times when costs quickly snowballed. When quite simply, they didn’t have to.
There’s no doubt, that on those occasions, it was heartburn level worry for you and your team.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could reduce those ugly, significant cost blowouts? Guess you said yes, to this question. And why wouldn’t you. Because importantly, this means you will maximise your profit. Plus, you will stress less.
Experienced planning specialists are deft at anticipating and identifying challenges that will, or have the potential to, translate into additional cost burdens. As well as impede the attractiveness of your development to your community.
Here’s 3 warning signs that you need to watch out for:
Not in proximity to public transport
Site access issues
Sloping sites
Consequence 4. Delayed Projects.
In the world of retail planning, you know how important project timelines are.
And you already know that unnecessary project hurdles lead to time blowouts. Which puts a dent in your profitability back pocket.
No doubt you’ve heard (or experienced) stories about swathes of extra time it’s taken to fix problems and remove roadblocks.
Did you realise? Quite often, many stumbling blocks are simply avoidable from the outset.
You don’t want delays and significant budget blow outs to become the norm. Do you?
Specialists will keep the design and planning phase of your project on track with detailed timelines, proactive problem-solving. And with stakeholder engagement and management.
Consequence 5. Sub-Optimal Solutions for Difficult Site Challenges.
Every development site has its quirks. Awkward shapes, zoning restrictions, existing infrastructure to work around. And so on.
Have you accepted compromised designs, for past projects?
Yes?
Well, if that’s the case, you didn’t fully leverage your site’s potential. Which means, missed profit opportunities. But you already know that. Don’t you?
Retail design and planning specialists thrive on working with difficult and complex sites. And all the challenges that come with it. They really know how to turn your site problems into innovative solutions.
When you don’t partner with experts. Your opportunities to improve profitability, will suffer.
Consequence 6. Loads of Wasted Time.
You’ve all heard the saying…time means money. And your time. Is valuable.
Managing a retail development project without expert help, will divert your attention away from other critical strategic business activities.
Don’t get bogged down in minutiae. To the point where you burn out, before your project even reaches the halfway mark.
Specialists will streamline the process. Co-ordinate between contractors, consultants and other stakeholders.
And manage challenges, as they arise. Which means, you get back valuable time. So that you can focus on…your ‘big picture’.
Consequence 7. Stress and Worry for You and Your Team.
Finally, let’s talk about stress.
The pressure to deliver a successful project is immense. When things don’t go according to plan, it only serves to amplify the burden.
Your planning expert helps to remove stress that would otherwise fall squarely on your shoulders. Which of course not only affects you, but also the health, wellbeing and morale of your team.
Specialists know how to manage the complexities of the process. And are problem-solving wizards. They will tackle unforeseen issues, that inevitably arise, with ease.
Which gives you, that all-important, peace of mind. And you will stress, less.
The Final Perspective.
Retail design and planning specialists are the unsung heroes of successful retail developments.
Importantly, they bring you critical years of their experience to every project.
And no prizes for guessing. You definitely want to be in the safe hands of expert architectural retail planners.
Who doesn’t?
The perfect blend of creativity, technical know-how, problem-solving masters, and critical thinking. Plus, strategic insight and transformative design.
When you discover this. You’ll find the elusive pot of planning gold. You’ve been searching for.
Let’s get to your bottom line.
Don’t gamble with your investment, your reputation, and your sanity.
Partner with the top specialists. Who possess the experience and capability to design and plan your vision. And importantly, maximise your development yield. As well as shape and enrich your community.
Need Help?
Don’t want to leave your projects to chance?
You need to be in safe hands of experts. Right?
But, you’re not sure who to turn to for help?
Well, your search is over.
It’s time to partner with D + R, your retail planning specialists.
Discover how your vision will be transformed into your profitable success stories.
Don’t waste any more time.
