The new customer experience imperative is killing with convenience
This blog is based on the Key Retail Trajectory “Customer Experience: Kill with Convenience” from retail thought leader Carol Spieckerman, for more on this trajectory and 3 others, check out this webinar.
Creating a great customer experience is the name of the game in retail.
But there are shifts in some of the expectations that shoppers have for their customer experience, that retailers have had to get their heads around.
First of all, the role of convenience.
This blog explores those shifts in customer expectations and what top retailers are doing to meet them.
For shoppers, convenience equals choice
According to some recent studies, convenience has actually surpassed price as a top decision driver for a lot of shoppers.
And on top of that, retailers have also figured out that shoppers think of convenience and choice as basically being synonymous.
It has become a complicated proposition that shoppers are expecting retailers to offer them all kinds of options and all kinds of choices— they want to shop the way they want to shop and communicate the way they want to communicate across the board.
Retailers realize if they try to curtail those choices or steer shoppers into things that are easier for them to execute or more profitable, they risk their shoppers jumping ship and going and shopping with somebody else.
The customer bar, the customer experience bar has been raised even higher, and choice and convenience are the new the name of the game. But different customers have different preferences, and even the same customer can have completely different preferences or define convenience completely differently depending on all kinds of variables.
So, how can retailers meet the number of choices customers want when it is becoming so complex?
How associates succeed amid complex expectations
Retailers need to find a way to support different customers as they shop in different ways as well too. They need to be flexible to work with customers when they are between shopping online, shopping in store, or in other ways like through social media.
This means that associates have to be an expert on online shopping one day, and an expert on in-store shopping the next, so that they can communicate effectively with shoppers in a variety of different ways.
Knowing their purchase history or favorite colors just isn’t enough anymore. There has to be the knowledge and flexibility for associates to say “I know my clients’ preferred communication channels and their favorite way to shop”, and at the same time provide them with the tools to meet them there.
That’s really how the most successful associates drive business, by having tools like a robust clienteling with integrated omnichannel capabilities to match whatever the customer wants to do.
How the world’s most iconic retailers meet customers where they are
There are many different ways to meet customers where they are from how they want to shop to how they want to communicate and interact with the brand.
Here are two examples of how real-world retailers successfully offer choice and convenience to their customers:
One US-based Tulip-user has a portion of clients from an older generation, who find it difficult to shop online or come into the store. Instead, they prefer to call-in their orders to be shipped to their homes— an old-fashioned method, but having this choice keeps these customers coming back. However, when it comes to giving credit card information over the phone, many of these clients want a more secure way to make payments instead of saying it over the phone to someone jotting it down on a piece of paper. So, the retailer sends them a secure link to input their credit card number.
Another Tulip-user that has a large global presence, has had to think about what communication channels to offer to their customers across different regions worldwide. In the US, the most popular channels are texting and email, but outside North America it’s not the same. They added in options for WhatsApp for their European customers, WeChat for their Chinese market, and so many other different channels so that they could communicate with their customers in the way that they want. Instead of forcing their customers to download a special app just so they can talk to their associates, they meet their customers where they already are.
In this way, leading retailers have shifted their priorities and aren’t just focusing on one channel or another, they are combining them altogether even for a single, consistent customer experience that enables the customers to make the choice.
Bringing it all together
Meeting customers’ expectations for convenience and choice is crucial for retailers to succeed.
Retailers must provide various shopping options and communication channels to cater to different preferences. Associates need to be adaptable, knowledgeable, and equipped with tools that support omnichannel capabilities.
By understanding their customers’ preferred channels and shopping methods, retailers can deliver personalized experiences and build lasting relationships.
The most successful retailers prioritize customer satisfaction by adapting to evolving expectations and offering a consistent experience across all channels.
Learn more
Want to learn more about the solutions behind the experiences at the world’s most iconic retailers like David Yurman, Versace, Jimmy Choo, Mulberry, Saks Fifth Avenue, Ferragamo, COACH, and Michael Kors?
Check out Tulip’s mobile-first omnichannel Clienteling and Point of Sale solutions or contact us today for a demo!
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